Péter Erdő: "The community of Catholic faithfuls awaits the arrival of the Holy Father with great joy and love."
Pope Francis officially announced at the end of today's Angelus prayer that he will visit Budapest on 12 September 2021 to participate in the closing Mass of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress.
After the announcement, the Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Peter Erdo said: “The catholic community is waiting for the arrival of the Holy Father in great joy and love. We are praying for his visit to be the sign of hope and a new beginning after the abatement of the pandemic.”
Peter Erdo emphasized the significance of Pope Francis’s personal presence at the closing mass, as usually the papal legate represents the Holy Father at the Eucharistic Congresses. On the occasion of the last congress in Cebu for example, the Pope sent video messages. The last time a pope participated in the international congress was 21 years ago in Rome, where Pope John Paul II was present.
The last occasion a pope came to Hungary was 25 years ago in 1996, when Pope John Paul II visited Pannonhalma and Győr, but he was just in transit.