SYDNEY (OSV News) — Catholics can officially mark their calendars for the next International Eucharistic Congress: It will take place in Sydney Sept. 24-Oct. 1, 2028.
Pope Leo XIV discussed the congress at the Vatican Oct. 8 with Sydney’s Archbishop Anthony Fisher and Auxiliary Bishop Richard Umbers, who is secretary general of the event and announced the dates of the congress.
While a trip by the pope to attend the event was not officially confirmed by the Vatican, Pope Leo told Archbishop Fisher, during his previous audience with the Holy Father in February, that: “It’s still a way off, (but) I’ll be there.”
Archbishop Fisher said in his Instagram post on Oct. 8 that the meeting with the pope was set to “discuss our plans so far for the Eucharistic Congress, for me to get some feedback from him on what he’d like to do, what he’d like to see happen. We already have a pretty good idea, but it will firm things up.”
Named Eucharist28 by organizers, this will be the 54th International Eucharistic Congress. It has been hosted twice in Australia already: in Sydney in 1928 and Melbourne in 1973.
‘This is My Body, Given for You’
In 2025, Pope Leo XIV chose the theme, “This is My Body, Given for You,” for the congress, taken from the account of Jesus Christ’s Last Supper with his disciples.
The highly anticipated congress is expected to draw pilgrims from across Australia and overseas.
A theological symposium will precede the congress from Sept. 20–22 for those wanting what Bishop Umbers described as a theological “deep dive” into the Blessed Sacrament.
Bishop Umbers, who gave Pope Leo a congress T-shirt Oct. 8, said he is inviting people to begin preparing early through their parishes, schools and communities and to engage with the preparations already under way.
On March 1, parishes across Australia held Eucharistic Holy Hours to launch a designated Year of Prayer for Eucharist28.
Organizers have also published resources for parishes, schools and communities, along with videos, podcasts and reflections, and opened online sign-ups for updates and volunteering.
Eucharist ‘makes’ Church ‘the Church’
“An IEC is for everybody because the Eucharist makes the Church — the Church,” Bishop Umbers said.
He encouraged all to register their interest online at eucharist28.org and begin their own two-year Eucharistic journey by becoming involved in opportunities in their parishes, schools and other communities, or simply by engaging online in the lead-up to the event.
Harvest Journeys has been appointed the official group travel operator for Eucharist28, with plans to assist Australian and international dioceses, parishes, schools, communities and movements travelling to the congress.
Its CEO, Selina Hasham, said she was “delighted and honored” at the appointment.
“As groups from across Australia and the world make their way to Sydney, we want to ensure all the travel plans are taken care of so that the pilgrims can immerse themselves in the Eucharist28 experience,” she said.
Harvest will develop packages for groups attending the congress and plans to offer international visitors opportunities to see more of Australia, including the Blue Mountains, regional New South Wales, Queensland and central Australia.
Official travel group operator has decades of experience
Hasham said Harvest had decades of experience taking groups to World Youth Days, youth festivals, canonizations and pilgrimage destinations worldwide.
Eucharist28 will mark 100 years since the harbor city hosted the 29th congress in 1928.
The International Eucharistic Congress movement can be traced back to France in the 19th century, driven in large part by laywoman Émilie-Marie Tamisier, who helped organize the first congress in Lille in 1881.
Bishop Umbers said the gatherings center on the profound gift Catholics believe they receive in the Eucharist.
“Christ gives himself to us in this incredible gift that took place on the night of the Last Supper,” he said. “He is made real to us in every Mass, and he remains afterwards for us to adore him, to love him, to know him.
“Why wouldn’t we want to celebrate that and tell the whole world about it?”
Marilyn Rodrigues is a staff writer for The Catholic Weekly, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Sydney. This story was originally published by The Catholic Weekly and distributed through a partnership with OSV News. OSV News and Christina Guzman contributed to this report.
