“I announce that the 54th International Eucharistic Congress will take place in the city of Sydney,” announced the delegate for Pope Francis at the final Mass in Quito, as Australians erupted with joy.
And at the end of the closing Mass, a delegation took to the podium to present their first message. A painting by Paul Newton that shows a piece of history, the first Catholic community in Sydney praying before the Eucharist at the beginning of the 19th century, when the English authorities hindered the celebration of the sacraments to the few Catholic priests present on the island.
“Super, super exciting. It’s been an amazing week here in Quito to see what the congress is about. And I just cannot wait until Sydney has it in 2028. It’ll be just fantastic.,” said an Australian pilgrim.