The Vatican has today announced that Sydney will host the 54th International Eucharistic Congress in 2028.
Held every four years, the International Eucharistic Congress is expected to draw tens of thousands of faithful Catholics from across the globe to Sydney.
Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Most Rev. Anthony Fisher OP said that this will be the largest gathering held on Australian shores since World Youth Day 2008.
“The International Eucharistic Congress is a joyous occasion that will deepen our understanding of the truth of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
“As the source and summit of the Christian life, the Eucharist has the power to convert hearts and stir fervor. The God who dwells among us, Emmanuel, gifts us with his permanent presence through the Eucharist and calls us to follow him so that we might be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mt 5:13).
“It is my hope that in hosting the International Eucharistic Congress we might renew the sense of solemnity, mystery, welcome and joy in the liturgical life of our city, revitalise our Christian lives, and increase our outreach to those most in need,” Archbishop Fisher said.
The bid to host the event had the backing of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia and will see Sydney become the global capital of Catholicism for one week.
The highlights of the event will be the large opening and closing Masses and a Eucharistic procession through the streets of Sydney.
Premier of NSW Chris Minns said he was thrilled to welcome the International Eucharistic Congress to Sydney’s shores.
“Sydney is Australia’s global city and the natural choice to host a major event like the International Eucharistic Congress. The Congress will be a boost for the city’s economy with thousands of visitors enjoying our food, culture, destinations and services,” Premier Minns said.
Since the early colonial period, the Catholic faith in Sydney has flourished thanks to a special bond with the Eucharistic. Before a time of priests and the regular celebration of Mass, it was a consecrated Host in the house of a Catholic lay person that sustained the faithful in the harbour city.
The fruits of this devotion came to a high point in 1928 when Sydney hosted the 29th International Eucharistic Congress.
“One hundred years after being the first in the Southern Hemisphere to host an International Eucharistic Congress due to our deep love of Jesus Christ, I am pleased to see this devotion is as strong as ever as we prepare for another grace-filled event calling all people to love of God,” Archbishop Fisher said.
The announcement was made at the conclusion of the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress held in Quito, Ecuador. It’s the first time the event is being held in Australia since Melbourne hosted in 1973.
