Posted at 11:45 a.m.
The big day has arrived in Quebec: Pope Francis will land in the capital in the afternoon and then go to the Citadel of Quebec. His trips will be broadcast live on the Plains of Abraham.
Pope Francis flew in from Edmonton on Wednesday morning around 9 a.m. After traveling nearly 3813 kilometers for more than four hours, his landing at Jean-Lesage airport in Quebec is scheduled for 3:05 p.m.
The Holy Father will come out the back of the plane, helped by a walker, in the same way as in Edmonton. He will be welcomed by two Innu elders, survivors of residential schools from Ekuanishit and Pessamit. The Grand Chief of the Huron-Wendat Nation of Wendake, Rémy Vincent, and the Grand Chief of the Cree Nation Government, Mandy Gull-Masty, as well as several Quebec politicians and dignitaries, including Premier François Legault, Lieutenant-Governor J. Michel Doyon and Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Quebec, Mgr Marc Pelchat, will also be there.
Route to the Citadel
The Service de police de la Ville de Québec (SPVQ) has published on social networks the planned route to transport the pope from the airport to the residence of the governor general at the Citadelle of Quebec. The trip will be via the airport road and Grande Allée Est, around 3:20 p.m.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY THE SPVQ
Fences have been installed in the last days along the Pope’s route, and everywhere in Old Quebec, to allow the crowd to observe the Popemobile.
A ceremony at the Citadelle will begin one hour later than scheduled, around 4:40 p.m., due to a delay in the plane carrying Aboriginal leaders.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
The soldiers of the 22e regiment prepare to receive Pope Francis at the Citadel.
The Pope will also meet at the Citadelle with the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and the Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon.
Speeches, march and festivities
Performances by Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists will be presented on the Plains of Abraham from 1:30 p.m. Wednesday until 7 p.m.
These activities will be punctuated by live broadcasts of the Pope’s arrival and ceremonies at the Citadel of Quebec on the main stage of the Festival d’été de Québec, and in the area of the race ring.
Pope Francis’ long-awaited speech will take place from the Citadel of Quebec at the end of the afternoon and will be broadcast live. Several Aboriginal groups, including the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador, want the sovereign pontiff to reiterate his apologies to the survivors of residential schools in Quebec, which is by no means certain.
About a hundred walkers from various Nations also left Wendake on Wednesday morning and walked with the encouragement of motorists to Quebec. “It feels good to see this new energy to accompany us on this march,” said Jay Launière-Mathias, executive director of the Puamun Meshkenu organization, contacted on the road.
Their arrival is scheduled on the Plains of Abraham, at the Edwin-Bélanger bandstand, around 1:30 p.m.
The Papemobile on the Plains
The pope is expected to take a popemobile ambulatory tour of the Plains around 6:15 p.m., according to the papal visit organization’s publicist Laryssa Waler.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY THE SPVQ
The SPVQ, which works in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Sûreté du Québec, says it is ready for the arrival of the sovereign pontiff in the capital. He will be responsible for traffic issues in the outer perimeter and for an escort by the motorcycle unit, specifies Marie-Pier Rivard, communications officer for the SPVQ.
“We are used to managing events of this magnitude in Quebec,” recalls Ms.me Rivard.