THE PHOENIX PARK will accommodate up to 600,000 people when Pope Francis comes to Ireland in August.

The full details of the pontiff’s visit will be released on Monday, but it is expected that the mass in the Phoenix Park will cater for 600,000 people – around seven and a half Croke Parks.

The Irish Times today reported that Pope Francis will visit the shrine at Knock.

The Pope will be Ireland as part of a major Catholic festival. The Catholic Church’s World Meeting of Families is held every three years and discusses themes of what it means to be a Catholic family.

Around one fifth of the population have indicated that they would attend the mass to be celebrated by the Pope in Phoenix Park, and over 2,500 people have signed up to volunteer for the festival.

The event will run in Ireland from 21 to 26 August, with a pastoral congress taking place in the RDS from 22 to 24 August.

On Saturday, 25 August, the Pope will arrive in Ireland ahead of a Festival of Families in Croke Park. The Pope will then say a closing mass in the Phoenix Park to up to 600,000 pilgrims from all over the world.

Details of the mass will be included in Monday’s announcement.

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