Q&A: Why is the Pope visiting Dublin and Knock?

Why is the Pope visiting Ireland?

The World Meeting of Families is being held in Dublin, and Pope Francis is attending this major gathering.

It has taken place every three years since Pope John Paul II established it in 1994 to strengthen the bonds

between families and bear witness to the “crucial importance” of marriage and the family.

There will be many speakers and seminars at events across the capital and the highlight will be the Pope taking part in a session.

As part of it, the Festival of Families is choreographed as a celebration of family life in music, song, dance, and spoken word.

Pope Francis will join an audience of 82,500 in Croke Park for the Festival of Families today where he will hear testimonies from families and see performers including Italian tenor

Andrea Bocelli.

What else will the Pope do today?

He will visit President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin.

The Pope will then see Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Dublin Castle for a meeting which will last around 15 minutes.

The topic of his conversation with Mr Varadkar has been the subject of speculation, including whether the Taoiseach will raise the clerical sex abuse scandal which has rocked the Catholic Church.

The Pope is also expected to visit St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral.

He will undertake a private trip to a day centre for homeless families.

Why is the Pope going to Knock shrine tomorrow?

Pope Francis is following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, who visited the shrine in 1979, a century after an apparition was said to have occurred there.

People from the Co Mayo village said they witnessed an apparition of Mary, Joseph, St John the Evangelist, and a lamb and cross on an altar at the gable wall of the local parish church.

The witnesses prayed and watched in pouring rain for two hours. Although they themselves were saturated not a single drop of rain fell on the gable or vision, according to the shrine’s website.

There were 15 official witnesses, most of whom were from Knock and surrounding areas. The witnesses were aged between five and 74.

Each testified to an official commission of inquiry in October 1879 which deemed them trustworthy and satisfactory.

Where is the final event of the pontiff’s trip?

The final event will be held in Phoenix Park, Dublin, at the site of the towering Papal Cross where Pope John Paul II said Mass.

On September 29, 1979, more than a million people formed the largest gathering of the Irish population in history.

This time around, half a million people are expected to make their way to Phoenix Park.

Those travelling have been warned to expect major congestion and have been urged to use public transport.

Protests are expected to take place, including at Dublin’s Garden of Remembrance.