.- At a press conference held on April 24, Cardinal Marc Ouellet extended an invitation to the public to attend the closing ceremony of the 49th International Eucharistic Congress on June 22, 2008. The homily for the Mass will be given live from Rome by Pope Benedict XVI.
The ceremony will take place on June 22, 2008 on the Plains of Abraham in front of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec. Events will include musical performances prior to the celebration of the Eucharist, Mass celebrated by Cardinal Jozef Tomko and a time for socializing following the conclusion of Mass.
Pope Benedict XVI will deliver the homily for Mass from Rome via satellite. The faithful will be able to view the Holy Father’s homily on large screens stationed throughout the area.
Since the Congress is also an official event of the 400th Anniversary of Quebec City, activities will commence at 9 a.m. with a musical concert. Florence K, singer and pianist, and Natalie Choquette, opera singer, will prepare the assembly for the closing ceremony with their music.
The Eucharistic celebration will begin at 11 a.m. with an entrance procession of about 1,200 people. All the Cardinals, bishops, priests and deacons present will take part in this solemn entrance. His Eminence Jozef Cardinal Tomko, who is the representative of the Pope for the Congress, will preside at this Eucharist.
After the celebration of the Mass, organizers are inviting participants to picnic and socialize with everyone.
A crowd of about 50,000 people is expected for the June 15-22 event.
