THE Government is arranging for a barge from the PNG Defence Force to deliver materials and other essentials to Vanimo in preparation for Pope Francis’ visit on Sunday, September 7th.
Papal visit general coordinator, Fr. Lawrence Arockiaraj, confirmed this during a media briefing yesterday.
He stated that the barge would transport the Pope’s vehicle along with other necessary supplies.
“Preparations are going well. We have 815 bishops, priests, religious leaders, pastoral workers, and catechists who will be at the Don Bosco Technical Institute,” Fr. Lawrence said.
Pope Francis is scheduled to deliver a special address to the nation on September 6th, accompanied by Governor General Sir Bob Dadae at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby.
Fr. Lawrence explained that 200 government officials and officers are confirmed to attend the special event, along with 100 prominent members of the Catholic Conference.
“From the church’s side, our preparations are on track, and we are looking forward to this significant event. The government is also doing well, and we expect to finalize the remaining preparations in the coming week,” Fr. Lawrence added.
He stated that the Youth Program is set for Monday, with additional events planned at the stadium on Sunday. Wristbands, serving as secondary passes, will be distributed to attendees at Sir John Guise Stadium starting this week.
Fr. Lawrence confirmed that 34,000 spaces have been allocated for attendees at the stadium, with an additional 1,000 spaces reserved on standby.
