Pope rings Eucharistic Congress Bell

Pope rings Eucharistic Congress Bell

Pope Benedict XVI received the International Eucharistic Congress Bell in Rome on Wednesday and joined a quarter of a million Irish pilgrims who have already rung the bell as part of preparations for the upcoming 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012.

The Bell was presented by a delegation headed by the President of IEC2012, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, accompanied by Secretary General of IEC2012, Fr Kevin Doran, and members of IEC2012 staff during the papal audience in St Peter’s Square.


The delegation presented Pope Benedict XVI with a bowl of Irish shamrock to celebrate St Patrick’s Day along with the first commemorative medal struck to mark this year’s 50th International Eucharistic Congress.

The Bell was then moved to St Peter’s Basilica where it remained for the for Mass at 5pm celebrated by Archbishop Piero Marini, President of the Pontifical Committee for the International Eucharistic Congresses.

Later in the week the Bell will travel to St Isidore's Irish Franciscan College, where this year’s St Patrick’s Day Mass will be celebrated on Saturday 17 March. Also attending this Mass will be Deputy Pat Rabbitte, Irish Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, as part of his visit to Italy for St Patrick’s Day celebrations. On Sunday 18 March, the Bell will be present at Mass in the Pontifical Irish College at 10am.

Speaking during the Bell Pilgrimage in Rome, Fr Kevin Doran, Secretary General of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012, said: “We are truly delighted that with this visit the Bell has brought parishes, schools and hospitals all over Ireland into a closer Communion with the Pope as we enter the final phase of preparation for the Eucharistic Congress.”

Journeying with the Bell are the four Eucharistic Congress Icons which represent the four parts of the Mass, and correspond to each of the four stages of the pastoral preparation programme for the Congress. The Bell calls people to prayer and the Icons offer rich themes for reflection.

People across the world have the opportunity to ring the Eucharistic Congress Bell themselves by participating in the Ring for Renewal programme launched recently by IEC2012 to mark the final 100 days of preparation for the 50th International Eucharistic Congress. Ring for Renewal invites people to pause on the journey of life and reflect on how we can renew as people and as members of the Church as we prepare for IEC2012.

For more information see: www.iec2012.ie/ringforrenewal