The highly anticipated Papal Mass of Pope Francis at the Manila Cathedral is “by invitation only” according to the latest announcement released by the organizers of Pope Francis visit to the country next year. The Manila Cathedral has only 2,000-seat capacity therefore the organizers limits the number of guests to just 10 priests and five religious sisters per diocese.
According to Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, the papal visit steering committee had asked every diocese to send only 10 priests and five religious sisters for the Holy Mass, where the leader of the billion-strong Roman Catholic will deliver a homily.
The Papal Mass which will be held at the Manila Cathedral is scheduled to be held this coming January 16, 2014, during the second day of Pope Francis’ visit to the country.
In order to be fair in picking out who would attend the Holy Mass of Pope Francis at the Manila Cathedral, the Roman Catholic churches in the Philippines announced that the delegates will be chosen by lottery in their archdioceses.
For those who will not be chosen and cannot attend the Holy Mass of Pope Francis at the Manila Cathedral, the Roman Catholic church leaders noted that for lay members and the general public who want to get a glimpse of the Pope or attend any Papal even, they could attend the public Mass scheduled on January 18 at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, Manila.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church, the world’s most popular religious group, Pope Francis is schedule to arrive in Manila on January 15, 2015 from his Sri Lanka trip. The Pope will fly to Tacloban on January 17, 2015 to meet with the survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda and he will return to Rome on January 19, 2015.