CHARLOTTE — The 2024 Eucharistic Congress procession, held Saturday morning, Aug. 31, took nearly two hours to complete as a near-record number of Catholics danced, prayed, sang and carried banners representing parishes and ministries.
More than 100 banners representing parishes and ministries stood tall against the Charlotte skyline.
Faithful kneeled as Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament was carried through the streets of Uptown Charlotte. Young children in strollers clapped along with the sounds of the enthusiastic crowd.
Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., carried the Blessed Sacrament through the streets of Charlotte for his first Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte.
The Eucharistic Procession culminated inside the Charlotte Convention Center, where Father Juan Miquel Sanchez delivered the Holy Hour homily to a standing-room only crowd estimated at nearly 10,000 people. Read the full story.
"I've never seen it like this, and I’ve been coming since the beginning," said Allana Ramkissoon, assistant superintendent of the diocese's Catholic schools.
"I think it's having a new bishop – everyone wants to meet him or see him. He’s very visible. He’s getting around to all the churches, so they’re excited about that. They all want to take pictures with him. On Earth, the bishop is the pinnacle of the faith. He represents Christ to them…They want that connection."
— Catholic News Herald. Photos by Patrick Schneider, Troy Hull and Binh-An Nguyen.
More online
- More than 10,000 turn out for Eucharistic Congress
- Thousands join in prayer and praise at Eucharistic Congress opening
- Bishop Martin: ‘May this Congress not stop here, but rather go out into the world’
