Early rise for those attending Pope's mass near Quebec City during Canadian visit
Those with tickets to attend the Pope's mass northeast of Quebec City at the end of this month will have a very early start to their day, but a spokesman who questioned whether the schedule would be too hard on Indigenous elders now says it's the best plan.
Organizers for the papal visit to Quebec said only shuttle buses from two designated locations at Videotron Centre or Mont-Ste-Anne will ferry people to the shrine of Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, northeast of Quebec City, for the July 28 mass.
No vehicles will be permitted on the site and people are being asked to line up at 4 a.m. for the shuttles that will only run between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., with a lengthy wait for the mass, which begins at 10 a.m.
At a briefing last week, Jasmin Lemieux-Lefebvre, a spokesman for the visit and liaison with the Indigenous communities in Quebec, said he wondered if asking residential school survivors, many of whom are elders, to arrive early for shuttles was excessive.
"I didn't know if it was too much to ask," Lemieux-Lefebvre said, adding he's now convinced the plan is the best one. "We've done the maximum to find the right balance between security and a decent, important welcome for all the survivors of Indigenous residential schools."
Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Canada July 24-29, travelling to Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut. A major theme of his visit is reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples for abuse suffered in residential schools -- many of which were run by Catholic clergy.
About 1,600 people will be permitted inside the shrine for the event, with about 10,000 on the grounds watching on big screens. Seventy per cent of the tickets are reserved for Indigenous communities and about 2,000 tickets for the general public were snapped up in about 10 minutes.
"If you don't have a ticket, for the love of God, don't show up at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre," said Benoit Thibault, head of the Quebec organizing committee, describing the plans for the events as a "major logistics operation."
Given the long wait, organizers are encouraging attendees to bring food, a camping chair, parasols and coolers with refreshments. Psychological support services will be offered for Indigenous participants. A small field hospital will also be set up to provide the necessary medical care as well as sanitary facilities.
Pope Francis is expected on site about 45 minutes before the event and will deliver the mass in Spanish, his first language.
Big screens on site outside will offer subtitles in French and English. Through the website of the Pope's official visit, the mass will be translated into a dozen Indigenous languages.
For those without a ticket, they'll be able to watch live at the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City. Guzzo Cinemas, an independent movie theatre chain in Quebec, will also broadcast the event live at 143 screens at its Montreal-area theatres.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.