Irish clerical singing group The Priests are set to headline at the grand finale of the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin at the weekend.

An estimated 80,000 pilgrims are expected at the Croke Park sports center on Sunday for an event called Statio Orbis' — the closing ceremony, which will be hosted by Irish broadcasters Joe Duffy and Eileen Dunne.

The Priests are Father David Delargy, Father Eugene O’Hagan and his brother, Father Martin and they anticipate a glittering conclusion that may well strengthen the faith of attendees.

Father Eugene told the Irish Examiner that the Eucharistic Congress was coming at what he called a critical time in people's lives in Ireland.

'The IEC will strengthen our faith, our vision and our commitment to make real what we believe is at the heart of the Eucharist,' he said.

The trio, all from the Diocese of Down and Conor, will perform at the closing ceremony alongside award-winning soprano Celine Byrne, who is known for her devotion to her faith.

'To be invited to participate in the International Eucharist Congress is both an honor and a blessing for which I am grateful,' Byrne told the Examiner. Her closing performance will be broadcast live by RTE, Ireland's national broadcaster.


Meanwhile Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, who is currently in Ireland for the Eucharistic Congress told the press that compulsory celibacy was not to blame for the nation's priest shortage.



The real problem was making a life-long commitment to the priesthood, he said.

Cardinal Maradiaga, who is Archbishop of Honduras, was speaking to the press on the opening day of the International Theology Symposium at Saint Patrick’s College in County Kildare.


Cardinal Maradiaga added that the symposium and the Eucharistic Congress went to the root of the faith of Roman Catholics.

'We know that the Church lives for the Eucharist and is built up by the Eucharist. So we are talking about a centre-point of our faith,' he said.