(Yangon Archbishop Charles Bo. Photo taken from the International Eucharistic Congress 2016 website)
October 31, 2015, 3:19p.m. – THE FIRST cardinal of Myanmar will represent Pope Francis in the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) to be hosted by Cebu City in January 2016.
Yangon Archbishop Charles Bo, the first cardinal from Burma, was appointed by the Supreme Pontiff as papal legate to the eucharistic congress, congress organizers announced last Oct 25.
Bo was one of the 20 new cardinals appointed by the Pope in February 2015. He served as president of the Catholic Bishops‘ Conference of Myanmar for six years.
The cardinal is an advocate of harmonious relationships between Myanmar’s diverse religious groups.
With the theme “Christ in You, the Hope of Glory,” the international congress will be held from January 24 to 31 next year. An estimated 15,000 people are expected to attend the religious event.
This will be the second time the Philippines will host the IEC, which is held every four years. The last time was in 1937 in Manila during the pontificate of Pope Pius IX. Krystel Nicole A. Sevilla
