PHOTOS: Eucharistic procession of the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, USA

Thousands of people packed the streets of Indianapolis on Saturday, July 20, to participate in a massive one-mile (1.6 kilometer) Eucharistic procession from the Indiana Convention Center to the Indiana War Memorial, bringing the National Eucharistic Revival to the streets, in the display more public devotion and unity than the five-day event.

Catholics young and old saw Jesus pass by and joined the procession as he passed. Priests, bishops, seminarians, men and women religious, and many families with their children made the journey, as well as a large group of children who had just made their First Communion.

The Eucharist, placed in a golden monstrance blessed by the Pope, moved aboard a special trailer, accompanied by the Bishop of Crookston (Minnesota), Bishop Andrew Cozzens, and the Archbishop of Indianapolis, Bishop Charles Thompson.

The people who filled the streets knelt as the Eucharist passed by and some spontaneous hymns were sung during the procession.

This has been the most intense moment of the fourth day of the National Eucharistic Congress, a historic event, the first of its kind to be celebrated in the United States since World War II.

An estimated 50,000 people have arrived in Indianapolis since Wednesday to attend liturgies, talks, Eucharistic adoration and fellowship with other Catholics.

The fruit of the United States Catholic bishops’ multi-year project on Eucharistic Revival, the Congress seeks to consolidate Catholics in their faith and love of the Eucharist in preparation for a special year of mission across the country.

When the monstrance arrived at the Indiana War Memorial, Bishop Cozzens, who has led the Eucharistic Revival, prayed before Christ. The attendees who had walked with the procession flooded, on their knees, the large green esplanade in front of the monument.

“We thank you for the many graces you have showered on us. Jesus, pour them out all over our land, all over our world. “Jesus, we know that the procession we did today is a symbol, a sign of our earthly pilgrimage, and it has not ended,” said the prelate.

“And this procession, perhaps the largest in our country in decades, is still too small. There are millions of people in our own cities, in our own dioceses who still do not know you,” Bishop Cozzens prayed.

“So many don’t know you. So many have not heard of your love. We know that you want all people, all nations, to join this procession. We know you want everyone to follow you. And Jesus, we will walk with them. Jesus, bring them to us. We want to walk with them towards you, Jesus.”

The Congress will close this Sunday, July 21, with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Evangelization, appointed by Pope Francis as his special envoy for this event.