Pope presented with International Eucharistic Congress Bell

(March 14, 2012) Pope Benedict XVI was presented with the International Eucharistic Congress Bell by an Irish delegation on Wednesday. The delegation was led by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, President of the 50^th International Eucharistic Congress, which will be held in the Irish capital Dublin from 10-17 June. On receiving the Eucharistic bell, the Pope rang it in a symbolic gesture calling people from across the world for the upcoming Congress, the theme of which is “ The Eucharist: Communion with Christ and between us”. Since last March 17, the Congress Bell has been taken in pilgrimage around the 26 dioceses of Ireland. It is estimated that more than a million people have touched this bell which is a symbol of the Eucharistic Congress. Along with the bell, the delegation also presented the Pope with a bowl of shamrock to remember St, Patrick’s Day along with the first commemorative medal struck to mark this year’s 50^th International Eucharistic Congress. After the general audience , the Bell was moved to St. Peter’s Basilica . Later in the week, it will be taken to St. Isidore’s Irish Franciscan College, where St. Patrick’s Day Mass will be celebrated on Saturday 17 March.