More than 20,000 people sign up to attend the Pope's Mass in Bahrain

Agencies | Manama                 

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com  

During his historic visit to Bahrain, Pope Francis will celebrate a public Mass that has attracted more than 20,000 registrations.

Church officials have stated that although the registration process is still open, they are unable to guarantee seats after the deadline of October 25 at noon.

More than 17,000 persons from Bahrain, 2,900 from Saudi Arabia, 470 from Kuwait, 144 from Qatar, 191 from the United Arab Emirates, and 433 from other nations have registered.

Tickets for the public Mass on November 5 at the 28,000-seat Bahrain National Stadium will be distributed later.

Updates on security and transportation plans have been made as tens of thousands of Christians get ready to attend Pope Francis' historic Mass in Bahrain next week.

The day will begin quite early. On Saturday, November 5, guests are urged to gather more than five hours before the start of the public Mass at the Bahrain International Stadium at 8.30am. The first buses will depart from the Bahrain International Circuit at 3am.

The stadium gates will close at 7am, according to the organisers.

Grands Prix for Formula One is hosted on the expansive Bahrain International Circuit in the Sakhir desert, and organisers are convinced that the location can manage the flow of people from the motorsports arena to the stadium where the Mass will be held.

Except for the elderly and those with special needs, those with tickets for the Mass may drive or hail a taxi to the Bahrain International Circuit, which provides ample parking places for a big number of automobiles.

The circuit's security checkpoints will open at 2am. To ensure that security checks are completed, organisers have encouraged attendees to arrive early.

The Bahrain Polytechnic, which is roughly three kilometres north of the stadium, will be where the elderly, those with special needs, and their caretakers would congregate.

After security checks are complete, special buses will transport them to a selected point in the stadium.

VIP ticket holders must also go to the polytechnic parking lot, from whence they will board shuttle buses to the event.

All attendees, including newborns, kids, the elderly, persons with special needs, and the people who are caring for them, must have valid tickets as well as the national identity cards or passports they used to register.

People are advised to have a printout of their ticket by the organisers.

People are allowed to bring limited amounts of food, and they will find light refreshments at their seats.

There is now a list of things that are not allowed. Alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, flares, lighters, matches, any smoking or lighting apparatus, sharp objects that may be used as a weapon, and lighters are all prohibited.

Megaphones and loud instruments like the vuvuzela are prohibited. Additionally prohibited are strollers, laser pointers, copious amounts of confetti, and balloons.

Except for cameras for personal use with a single set of rechargeable batteries, professional cameras are not permitted. It is forbidden to use video cameras and recording devices for audio or video.

It's also against the law to utilise computers and other gadgets that can send audio and visual content over the internet.

To obtain an e-visa, people from overseas must upload the Papal Mass ticket, a copy of their passport, give information on return ticket and hotel booking at the website www.evisa.gov.bh

These details must be filled in: purpose of visit: tourism; detailed purpose: other; description of purpose of visit: Papal Mass

Payment for the Visit Visa (GCC) 2 weeks single entry can be done online. For more information the helpline number is: 17077077

The Pope will speak at the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue on November 4 and meet the Muslim Council of Elders the same day.

He will also speak to priests, bishops and parish workers at two churches — the Sacred Heart Church in Manama, the oldest in the Gulf, and the Lady of Arabia Cathedral, the largest in the region.

Pope Francis’s visit is a historic event, being the second time he has visited the Gulf in three years, and is a landmark event for an island which is home to 80,000 Catholics.

Pope Francis embarked on a historic three-day visit to the UAE in February 2019, the first made by a leader of the Roman Catholic Church to the Arabian Peninsula.

More than 150,000 gathered for Mass in Abu Dhabi as the pontiff blessed the congregation and sent out a message of peace.

Tens of thousands of people queued up overnight at free transport centres across Dubai to travel to the capital for the Mass.