Pope to attend Italian Eucharistic Congress scheduled for September

(November 30, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI will attend the closing day of a Eucharistic congress to be celebrated by the Church in Italy, scheduled for next September in Ancona. The theme of this 25th Eucharistic Congress is "Lord, to Whom Shall We Go? The Eucharist for Daily Life."
The Pope's plan to attend was announced by Archbishop Edoardo Menichelli of Ancona-Osimo, during the Eucharistic celebration for the First Sunday of Advent. The Archbishop told the faithful that the time that separates us from the Eucharistic Congress must be used in suitable preparation for the great event. “As Christians,” he said, “we are called to undo the ties of a pleasure-seeking egoism.” Archbishop Menichelli hoped that the National Eucharistic Congress will be an open door for every man and woman of goodwill who, though far from the mystery of God, can know that God loves them. God, revealed in Christ is not the God of fear but of mercy, he added.
The Eucharistic Congress of Ancona will be held from Sept. 3 to 11, and will be attended by delegations of 225 dioceses, prelatures and abbeys of Italy. The event will bring together at least 250,000 faithful from the whole of Italy. Also present for the occasion will be 500 young people who will be guests of families in the area.