No Pope Francis for next year’s Eucharistic Congress

Archbishop Piero Marini (left) president of the Pontifical Committee of the International Eucharistic Congress, joins delegates n inspecting the Eucharistic Pavillion. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Despite the countrywide clamor for his return, Pope Francis won’t likely visit the Philippines for next year’s International Eucharistic Congress.

Archbishop Piero Marini, president of the Pontifical Committee of the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC), yesterday said the Holy Father has planned pastoral trips to different countries in 2015 and next year.

But so far, the Philippines, particularly Cebu City, is not in the Pope’s itinerary.

In a press conference in Cebu City yesterday, Marini said Pope Francis expressed his desire to visit the Queen City of the South for the 51st IEC in January 2016.

However, the plan changed when the Holy Father decided to come to the Philippines earlier to visit victims of supertyphoon Yolanda last January 2015.
Presence

“IECs require the presence of the Bishop of Rome (Pope). But since he already came to the Philippines in January 2015, I doubt if he will still come back again in January 2016,” Marini told reporters at the Marco Polo Hotel.

He and some foreign delegates arrived in Cebu for the final meeting of the Pontifical Committee for the IEC and to inspect the venues for the international gathering and other landmarks in Cebu.

Marini is the president of the Pontifical Committee of the IEC and the master of ceremonies of the late pontiff, now St. John Paul II. The 2016 IEC to be held in Cebu City from Jan. 24 to 31, 2016, is expected to gather 15,000 delegates. Marini and other visitors were impressed with the local preparations for the IEC.

“We knew we will find here in the Philippines great hospitality and faith. I’m impressed with the efficiency of the construction of the congress venue.  I expect to have pleasant surprises when we come back in January next year,” he said.

The foreign delegates visited the Eucharistic Pavilion located within the compound of the archdiocesan seminary in barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.

The Pavilion is 62 percent done. Duros Development Corp. is building for free the Eucharistic Pavilion. In return, Duros was given the right to use part of the Mabolo Seminary property for 25 years.

Yesterday afternoon, the delegates visited the different venues for the 2016 IEC which includes the Capitol building, the Cebu City Sports Center, Plaza Independencia and the South Road Properties.

They also attended the 5:30 p.m. novena Mass at the Basilica del Sto. Niño in celebration of the 450th anniversary of the Kaplag or the recovery of the image of the child Jesus./Xavier University Intern Ana Liza Banaynal