NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      MEXICO CITY (CWNews.com) - Sources at the Mexican Bishops' Conference on Monday confirmed expectations that the largest papal Mass in history will be held during Pope John Paul II's visit to Mexico in 1999.

      The source said, "This is not an official projection, but it certainly is a great expectation and arrangements are being made in that sense." That expectation confirmed the statement of the new Mexican Ambassador to the Holy See, Horacio Sanchez Unzueta, who said in an interview with Mexican media: "The Holy Father will hold his largest Mass ever next time he comes to Mexico."

      "We never wanted this to become an official statement, but since this will be not only a Mexican visit but an [North and South] American one, I think is realistic to think in those terms," the source from the bishops' conference said. The Holy Father's visit to Mexico City has a continental dimension, since he will present his Post-Synodal Apostolic Letter at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

      A location for the open air Mass has not yet been confirmed, but the possibilities include the La Estrella hill, the Magdalena Mixhuca race track, or the Milpa Alta plains. All three places are capable of holding around 5 million people. The current record-holder for largest papal Mass is the Mass during World Youth Day in 1994 in the Philippines which more than 4 million people attended. It was also the largest gathering of humanity in history for any purpose.