Twelve thousand to 15,000 Catholic clergy and lay people from around the world will gather in the city for the 49th International Eucharistic Congress.Pope Benedict XVI was expected for the closing ceremonies, but the Vatican has confirmed he will not attend.
The first Congress was held in France in Jun 1881, and in recent years they have been held every four years. Educational sessions, celebrations and religious and cultural events will be built around the theme, "The Eucharist, gift of God for the life of the world."
The Eucharist is a Christian sacrament commemorating the Last Supper, and is one of the principal dogmas of the Catholic faith.
The event was set to coincide with the celebrations for the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec. The Congress was last held in Canada in 1910.
Speaking at a luncheon for pro-life priests organized by Campaign Life Coalition in Nov 2006, Quebec City Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the Primate of Canada, said that the event was intentionally named to promote the pro-life cause.
Congress web site:
http://www.cei2008.ca/
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