More than 2,000 people are involved in the mass – including 1,600 choir members, 390 Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, 656 wardens, 300 altar servers, 128 medics and nurses, and 260 crowd control personnel.
Attendees must be seated by 3.30pm and the pontiff will arrive at 4.30pm. He will tour around the pitch of the National Stadium to greet the crowds on his Popemobile, a vehicle specially designed to allow him to be more visible during public appearances.
Among those present will be 2,600 kindergarten and junior college students, 310 migrant workers, 1,000 elderly people from parishes across the country and 250 wheelchair users. Another 3,000 Catholics from the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences countries will also be there.
Ms Ido Joyce Anne Pastor and Ms Sian Soriano, both Filipinos who have been working in Singapore for a few years, said they were hoping to see Pope Francis up close.
“The first time I got a photo of him was when I was in the Philippines, and I hope he comes near today, so I can capture a photo of him,” said Ms Soriano.
She added that she prayed for the papal mass to go smoothly before she left for the National Stadium.
