Less than a month before the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress (IEC 2024) is held in Quito (Ecuador), Father Juan Carlos Garzón, general secretary of the event, stated that it will be an opportunity to “put at the center of the life of the Church and the world to the Eucharistic Christ.”
In his statements to EWTN News, Father Garzón highlighted that IEC 2024 will be “like returning to the essence of our faith.” Ecuador was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus 150 years ago, commented the priest, so the Eucharistic Congress will be a great opportunity for the country to remember and deepen its history of faith.
Receive the main news from ACI Prensa by WhatsApp and Telegram
It is increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channels today:
Pope Francis designated Quito as the headquarters within the framework of this important anniversary. 51 delegations from around the world are already registered to participate in the IEC 2024 program, which will begin with an International Theological Symposium to be held in the spaces of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, where around 450 people will meet.
“Theologians come from all over the world to delve deeper into the relationship between the Eucharist and fraternity, given that the motto of our Eucharistic Congress is ‘Fraternity to heal the world’,” said the general secretary.
After the symposium, IEC 2024 will formally begin on September 8. That day, 1,600 children will make their First Communion. For Father Garzón, this will be a reminder of the purity with which we must receive the Lord in the Eucharist, “which can sometimes be lost over the years.”
“These children remind us of the purity that accompanies this relationship with God,” he added.
Nearly 5,000 people will be at the congress site, including bishops, lay people and religious, who will give a testimony of fraternity. Those days in Quito, the Secretary General assured, will allow us to learn about the different wounds in the world and at the same time make a contribution to healing them.
“It’s a very nice week. On the first day we asked the bishops, who come from all over the world, to go to the parishes of Quito to meet our people. Then, on Thursday of that week, Masses by language will be held in the historic center and on Saturday, September 14, we will have a great Eucharistic procession,” shared Father Garzón.
The closing Mass, on September 15, will be presided over by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who will represent the Pope during the IEC 2024.
Finally, the secretary general specified that interested people can still register for the event through the official website of the 2024 IEC.
Andres Henriquez
I have been a writer for ACI Prensa and a correspondent for EWTN since 2023. Since then, I have covered events in the Catholic Church in Venezuela and Latin America. I have more than 5 years of experience in bilingual media. Additionally, in Venezuela I have worked with non-governmental organizations in favor of freedom and respect for human rights in the country. I have been a member of the Regnum Christi Federation since 2014.