Cardinal Peter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, has expressed hope in a video message that believers will be able to celebrate together next year at the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress, which has been postponed by one year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The cardinal posted his message on the YouTube channel of the International Eucharistic Congress on the occasion that the concluding mass of the congress, the Statio Orbis, was originally scheduled to be held this day.
The 52nd International Eucharistic Congress was due to take place in Budapest between September 13 and 20.
In the video message, recorded in Budapest’s Heroes’ Square, the cardinal noted that back in 1991 Pope John Paul II held mass on the same square, attended by over half a million people.
The International Eucharistic Congress postponed from this September will take place in Budapest between September 5 and 12 next year. In addition to liturgical events, its programme will include conferences, lectures and concerts. The Catholic Church usually holds the one-week congress celebrating the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist every four years.
Hungary will host the event for the second time. The previous occasion was in May 1938 when half a million believers attended the closing mass of the 34th World Eucharistic Congress on Heroes’ Square.
Featured photo by Szilárd Koszticsák/MTI
