Vatican authorities say Pope Benedict XVI will make his first official trip outside Rome next month to attend a religious congress in the southern Italian city of Bari.
The Vatican announcement says the pontiff will travel to Bari May 29 to attend Italy's 24th National Eucharistic Congress.
The newly elected pope is expected to make his first trip outside Italy in August when he travels to his native Germany to attend the Roman Catholic Church's World Youth Day ceremonies in Cologne.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.