Pope in Romania/Sovereign Pontiff, expected by thousands of believers at Sumuleu Ciuc, Iasi, on second day of his visit

Bucharest, June 1 /Agerpres/ - Thousands of believers from all over the country and abroad are waiting on Saturday for Pope Francis in Sumuleu Ciuc and Iasi, where the Sovereign Pontiff will be on the second day of his visit Romania. The Pope's visit began in Bucharest on Friday, and will end on Sunday at Blaj. The Pope landed on Friday at Henri Coanda International Airport, welcomed by President Klaus Iohannis. Following was the official reception at the Cotroceni Palace, where he had a meeting with state authorities, representatives of the civil society and the diplomatic corps. Also on Friday, Pope Francis had a private meeting with Patriarch Daniel and the Permanent Synod at the Patriarchal Palace. Subsequently, the Pontiff went to the National Cathedral, where he said in Latin the "Our Father" prayer, from where he left with Popemobile to St. Joseph's Cathedral to attend the Divine Liturgy. On Saturday, at Sumuleu Ciuc, the Sovereign Pontiff will be met with Papal Hymn, but also with an old church song. The sermon that Pope Francis will utter during the liturgy at Sumuleu Ciuc will be translated simultaneously into the Romanian and Hungarian languages. At the liturgy celebrated in the famous Marian shrine, His Holiness will wear liturgical clothing made by a well-known church designer in Satu Mare, Cristina Sabau-Trifu. The organization of the great event at Sumuleu Ciuc involved more than 300 concelebrate priests as well as dozens of priests. There will also be 60 bishops, four deacons, and some information shows that four cardinals will take part. For the first time after the Second World War, the wonderworking statue of the Virgin Mary of Sumuleu Ciuc, carved in lime wood, with a height of 2.27 meters, the largest of its kind in the world, over 500 years old, will be climbed up the mountain and adorn the altar from where the Sovereign Pontiff will officiate on Saturday. From Sumuleu Ciuc, Pope Francis will go to Iasi, where he will arrive after 17:00 hrs, where he will visit the "Holy Virgin Mary, Queen" Cathedral. There he will meet with about 800 sick and elderly people. After this meeting, he will go by the Popemobile to the Cultural Palace Square to attend the "Marian Meeting with Young People and Families". Pope Francis will hold a speech on the stage in the Culture Palace Square, erected for this event. On the last day of his visit to Romania, the Holy Father will be on Sunday in Blaj, where he will attend the Divine Liturgy with the beatification of seven Greek Catholic martyrs. Under the title "Let's Go Together!" 20 years after John Paul II's historic visit, Pope Francis's state, pastoral and ecumenical visit to Romania, has a strong Marian imprint. AGERPRES (RO - author: Mirela Barbulescu, editor: Georgiana Tanasescu; RO - editor: Bogdan Gabaroi)