ONLINE Holy Father Francis has moved east: Huge crowds of people waiting since midnight! – Topky

• Pope Francis came to Slovakia for an official visit on Sunday
• spent Monday in the capital, where he visited several holy places and met with the President, government officials and the Speaker of Parliament
• František will spend Tuesday in eastern Slovakia, start his program in Prešov, gradually move to Košice and visit Lunix IX.

ONLINE

9:10 Believers are checked by members of the police force at the entrance to the premises.

8:44 There are an extraordinary number of waiting believers on the spot.

Preparations began in advance, some had been waiting since midnight!

In front of the Municipal Sports Hall in Prešov, preparations for the arrival of Pope Francis, who will serve the liturgy of St. Ján Zlatoústeho.

“I think we have everything ready. The last things are coming, such as the background of the sacristy for the Holy Father, the red carpet, and so on. We are ready and full of joy and such an open heart for everything the Holy Father says.” said Michal Pavlišinovič, a spokesman for the Prešov Greek Catholic Archieparchy.

People arrived at three in the morning!

The gates to the complex have been open to pilgrims since midnight. As he said, around 3.00 h they started coming in larger quantities. “More than 450 priests have been registered, about 44 bishops, four of whom are cardinals. Also as far as monks are concerned, 120 have been registered,” Pavlišinovič approached. He did not know the current number of pilgrims who came to Prešov. The capacity of the area is 50,000 people.

Sv. the liturgy of John Chrysostom, which he will serve, is not unknown to Pope Francis. Like Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio, SJ was an ordinary for the faithful of the Eastern Rite in Argentina. “The Archbishop’s Holy Liturgy means that it is presided over by the Archbishop, that is, the bishop. We will have among us the Deputy Christ, the High Priest of the Catholic Church. As we know, neither the Holy Father nor the Roman Catholic Masses are used to singing, so he will recite the individual entries. Mostly it will be a blessing. He will bless with a wooden carved cross, which is given to him by the archbishop’s father at the very beginning when he arrives. This cross will also be one of the gifts we Greek Catholics give to the Holy Father. “ Pavlišinovič approached.

Source: TASR / Milan Kapusta

Holy Communion from 230 priests

Other parts of the Holy Liturgy will be presented by the individual bishops of the Council of Hierarchs, the Archbishop of Metropolitan Ján Babjak SJ and the Sufragan Bishops of Bishop Cyril Vasil and Bishop Peter Rusnák. Holy Communion will be distributed by 230 priests and each will be assisted by two volunteers. “Since we will be giving communion in both ways, it will be given to each believer with one teaspoon individually.” the spokesman added.

After the Holy Liturgy in Prešov, Pope František will also visit the Luník IX housing estate in Košice on Tuesday, where he will greet marginalized communities. Later, he will move to the Lokomotiva Stadium, where he will speak to young people.