Edmonton 
Edmonton will serve as the base for the Western Canada leg of the Papal tour of Canada, Vatican announced today.
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
The Papal visit in Canada is an initiative led by the Vatican and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) as part of the Catholic Church’s effort to listen to, talk with and learn from residential school survivors, their families and their communities, and offer an apology for the role it played in the residential school system.
Pope Francis will reach Edmonton on July 24th where he will be received in a brief airport ceremony.
The tour will officially begin on July 25th, and will see Pope Francis visiting Maskwacis, home to the former Ermineskin Residential School, and Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, a National Indigenous church in downtown Edmonton. Both these events are private and invitation-only events.
The 85-year-old pontiff will hold a public mass on July 26th at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. The free ticketed mass will accommodate up to 65,000 attendees and will incorporate Indigenous traditions as part of the gathering. Tickets for this event will be announced in the coming days.
Later in the day, he will visit the famous Indigenous pilgrimage site of Lac Ste. Anne.
The Pope will be part of a public prayer service at the site. The annual 2022 Lac Ste. Anne Pilgrimage is from July 25th to 28th. The pilgrimage will be open to registered participants only on July 26th.
On July 27th, he will depart for Quebec city.
“We are pleased to play a supporting role in the Catholic Church’s journey towards reconciliation with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities on Canadian soil,” said Andre Corbould, Edmonton’s City Manager in a news release. “Our city is deeply committed to fulfilling the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and we welcome Indigenous Peoples and communities from across Western Canada, with open arms, to this opportunity for progress and healing.”
The City of Edmonton and the Alberta Coordinating Committee will be providing support and specific services to ensure the safety and security of the Pope and the public.
