From Rome to Cebu: IEC delegates expect message from Pope

Pope Francis may give a pleasant surprise to delegates of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC), which is set to open this afternoon in Cebu City.

A report on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines news site said the supreme pontiff may give a message streamed live over the Internet, or may be through a recorded one.

“Let us allow the Pope to surprise us. He’s known to be like that,” said Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara, chairman of the communications department of the 51st IEC, in a press conference at the IEC Pavilion at the compound of Cebu’s Pope St. John XXIII Major Seminary.

Happening a year after Pope Francis’ apostolic journey to the Philippines from January 15-19, 2015, the 51st IEC aims to promote the centrality of the Holy Eucharist in Christian life, Bishop Vergara said, adding that the IEC is a “spillover of grace” from the papal visit.

Some 15,000 delegates are expected at the events of the IEC and some 1,500 of them are coming from 72 countries.

According to Vergara, some 300,000 people are expected to attend today’s opening Mass at the Plaza Independencia at 4 p.m.

Also, he said that around 800 media personnel have been accredited to cover the international event.

Moreover, he said that the 51st IEC may be mainly a Catholic gathering but people from other faiths will be part of it as it would tackle the Church’s dialogue with other religions.

This is only the second time for the Philippines to host an international Eucharistic congress, after the 31st IEC held in Manila in 1937. Thus, the Cebu event an “experience of a lifetime.”

Meanwhile, Msgr. Joseph Tan, executive secretary of the IEC Communications Department, said Cebu’s hosting of the 51st IEC is part of the nine-year preparation for the fifth centenary of the Christianization of the Philippines, which began in Cebu.

Earlier, Region VII police chief Supt. Manny Gaerlan said Cebu is ready to provide security to participants, pilgrims, and Cebu City residents during the 8-day IEC events.

He said there are police attendance desks in all venues accommodating the participants, and that the police coordinated closely with the organizers for the participants' security. — LBG, GMA News