QUITO, ECUADOR, (ZENIT.org).- A Marian Eucharistic Congress is being organized in Quito, Ecuador, to coincide with the International Eucharistic Congress being held in Rome from June 18-25, the week that includes the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi).

    The event will have a decided liturgical dimension, given the large-scale Mass that will be celebrated on Sunday, June 18. The closing Mass will be held in the AUCAS Sports Club Stadium, in the south of the city, at 10 a.m. on Sunday, June 25, followed by a solemn procession with the image of the Blessed Virgin of Quinche.

    The theme of the Congress is "Jesus Christ, Through Mary, Bread of Life for the World." One of the objectives of the Congress is to promote theological reflection, by means of a Symposium that will be held in the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. Other theological meetings, which are not strictly academic, are also being planned for high school and university students, as is catechesis among parishes.

    During the Congress, many children will make their First Communion, a priest will be ordained, ministries will be assigned to future priests and lay persons, and a group of religious will take their vows.

    The coordinator of the Congress, a great Jubilee festival of faith, is Auxiliary Bishop Julio Teran Dutari of Quito. Youth will be responsible for energizing the meeting and will celebrate their own Congress simultaneously. Several artistic and cultural events are included in the program. ZE00041803