Registration for the papal mass in Transylvania, Romania begins today and is mandatory for all visitors who wish to enter the site.
According to Rmx.news, online registration for the papal visit to Csíksomlyó (Şumueleu Ciuc) will open on the pontifex.ro website. The platform will be active until March 31st.
Online registration is needed so organizers can establish how many pilgrims they can expect. On the other hand, the location of the ceremonial mass which will be held by pope Francis on June 1st in the so called “saddle” between the Kis- and the Nagysomlyó-mountain, will be an area protected by the Romanian State Security Services, and only people who have completed the online registration and have their voucher printed with the unique bar-code will be allowed access.
The bishop of the Nagyvárad (Oradea) diocese, László Böcskei said that the four historical Roman Catholic dioceses, respectively those of Nagyvárad, Gyulafehérvár (Alba Iulia), Szatmár (Satu Mare) and Temesvár (Timişoara) have been part of organizing this unprecedented event from the very beginning.
He also said that from the viewpoint of the church, this visit can be regarded as a “symbolical papal hug of the devotees, as an encouragement, as a gift, and as a challenge” as well. In the bishop’s opinion, the pope’s visit can be partly seen as an expression of gratitude for the faithfulness of all those people, who had spent long years in prison during Communism because of their principles.
“I do believe that this papal visit will be an encouragement for us in a constantly moving world, in which we are trying to find the ways to survive and to flourish as well," the bishop said.
Registration will be available for groups larger than 10 people, for families and individuals, separately for priests, for members of monastic congregations, and a separate category will be designated for handicapped and very ill people, Oláh said. The church encourages pilgrims to form organized groups, to travel to Csíksomlyó by bus or train. Individual pilgrims are also welcome at the event. But those traveling by car must know that on May 31st Csíkszereda (Miercurea-Ciuc) will stop incoming traffic, except for vehicles with passes.
Oláh said pilgrims are allowed to bring religious or community flags, but no flags or banners with a political message are allowed. There will be security checks at the entrance points, and pilgrims are allowed to bring medication, food, half a liter of water, and a small camping chair. The liturgy will be held in Latin, songs will be sang in Hungarian, and Pope Francis will preach in Italian. There will be simultaneous translations in Hungarian, Romanian and English, and if larger groups require it, to other languages as well. Participants will have the possibility to tune in to a determined radio frequency, where the interpretation can be heard.