The President, Mrs McAleese, will begin a five-day official visit to Italy and the Vatican after she attends the funeral of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman this afternoon.
Mrs McAleese and her husband, Martin, will arrive in Florence tonight or tomorrow morning from Amman. The highlights of the visit will be a Friday audience in the Vatican with Pope John Paul II, a meeting on Saturday in Rome with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, and her delivery of the prestigious Jean Monnet lecture in Florence tomorrow evening.
During her private audience with the Pope, Mrs McAleese is expected to discuss the Northern Ireland peace process, ecumenical issues and matters of international concern.
As is Vatican practice, the President will meet the Pope in private for up to half an hour, her first such audience with the Pontiff.
After the meeting, the President will call on the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.
The Saturday meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury is prompted by the coincidence that Dr Carey is in Rome to open the renovated Anglican Centre. The President and Dr Carey are likely to have a brief, informal meeting before Dr Carey shows her around the centre.
During her stay in Rome, Mrs McAleese will also meet members of the Sant'Egidio Community, the conference of missionary organisations (Sedos), students of the Irish College, the Dominican Sisters of Villa Rosa and the heads of religious houses and orders in Rome.
During her stay in the Italian capital, the President will also make a courtesy call on the Italian state President, Mr Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, and meet members of Rome's Irish community, both clerical and lay.