Pope Leo XIV expected in Sydney for Eucharist28
By Heather Excell
Australia is preparing to welcome Pope Leo XIV to Sydney in 2028, after the Holy Father indicated his intention to attend Eucharist28, the 54th International Eucharistic Congress.
According to the Catholic Weekly, Bishop Richard Umbers, Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney and General Secretary for Eucharist28, told a press conference that Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP had personally invited the Pope during a recent meeting in Rome. The Pope responded, “Well, it’s still a way off, but I’ll be there.”
While final details remain subject to confirmation, Pope Leo is expected to take part in major moments of the week-long gathering, including a large-scale Eucharistic procession, and the final Mass. The Pope’s presence would mark the fifth time a reigning Pope has travelled to Australia, and would make the Congress one of the country’s most significant Catholic events in decades.
News of the Pope’s expected visit comes as the Archdiocese of Sydney officially launched the website for Eucharist28 on 30 January, inviting Catholics across Australia to begin preparing spiritually for the international gathering.
Described by organisers as “more than a single event,” Eucharist28 is being presented as a multi-year journey of renewal centred on the Eucharist.
To assist with this journey, the website includes a range of catechetical and devotional resources for individuals, families, parishes and schools, designed to deepen faith and understanding around the Eucharist. The website currently features testimonies, podcasts and theological reflections, with additional material continuing to be released in the lead-up to 2028.
“My hope is that people in Sydney, across Australia, Oceania and the whole world will discover for the first time or rediscover the joy of being nourished by Christ and be strengthened to become His presence in our communities,” Bishop Umbers said.
To mark the launch of the Congress, parishes across the country are being invited to hold a nationwide Holy Hour on Sunday, 1 March 2026, the Second Sunday of Lent. By uniting in Eucharistic Adoration, Catholics are offered the opportunity to begin preparing their hearts for the international gathering.
While the global event will culminate in Sydney, its deeper purpose is the renewal of faith in everyday life.
“No one should be touched by the congress and be unchanged,” Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP said, “for no one can experience intimacy with Christ and be the same as before.”
As the journey toward 2028 begins, Catholics are being invited to embrace a renewed Eucharistic life now, so that the grace of the Congress may shape individuals, families and communities for years to come.