Bahrain: More than 20,000 register to attend Pope Francis’s Mass
More than 20,000 people have registered to attend Pope Francis’s public Mass during his landmark tour of Bahrain next week.
Church authorities have said that while the registration system remains open, they cannot guarantee seats after the October 25 noon deadline passed.
More than 17,000 people have registered from Bahrain, the number for Saudi Arabia is 2,900, Kuwait 470, Qatar 144, UAE and Oman 191 and 433 from other countries.
Tickets will be issued later for the 28,000 capacity Bahrain National Stadium, the venue for the public Mass on November 5.
“We will continue to upload data as long as the system is open. If their data upload is successful, participants will be notified on email and receive an invitation for applying for a ticket,” said John E John, director of communications at the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia
Security and Transport
Updates have been released on security and transport arrangements.
The first buses will leave the Bahrain International Circuit at 3am, where attendees have been asked to assemble more than five hours before the public Mass begins at the Bahrain International Stadium at 8.30am on Saturday, November 5. The stadium gates will be shut at 7am, organisers said on Thursday.
Security counters will open at 2am at the circuit. Organisers have asked people to get there on time to complete security checks.
The elderly, people with special needs and caregivers will gather at the polytechnic parking near the Bahrain Polytechnic, located about three kilometres north of the stadium. Special buses will transport them to a designated area in the stadium after security procedures are complete.
Those with VIP tickets must also head to the polytechnic parking where shuttle buses will take them to the venue.
Everyone attending the Mass must carry valid tickets and national identity cards or passports used for registration.
People can carry small quantities of food and will find light refreshments placed at their seats. A list of prohibited items has also been published.
