Road traffic in the access to the Sanctuary of Cristo Rei, in Almada, will be conditioned between July 31 and August 7 due to the reception of pilgrims during World Youth Day (WYD), it was announced today.
More than a million people are expected in Lisbon for WYD, which takes place from August 1 to 6 and will be attended by Pope Francis.
In an information made available on its website, the Municipality of Almada, in the district of Setúbal, explains that the restrictions on the sanctuary are also related to the expected large influx of visitors to the municipality.
On those days, between 08:00 and 20:00, the municipality adds, access and parking on Av. Cristo Rei and surrounding streets will be conditioned, with exceptions being made, namely for emergency and public safety vehicles, access to social support equipment, transportation of people with reduced mobility and residents of the conditioned area.
During this period, traffic will be prohibited, except for residents, emergency vehicles and Carris Metropolitana, on Avenida Cristo Rei, on Fernão Lourenço, Paula Vicente, Dr. Manuel de Lourosa, Afonso Galo, Padre Ângelo Firmino Silva, das Fontainhas, Frei Silvestre de Almada, das Torcatas and Melvin Jones streets and on Melvin Jones square.
Considered the biggest event of the Catholic Church, WYD was born on the initiative of Pope John Paul II, after the success of a meeting with young people in 1985 in Rome, in the International Year of Youth.
The Pope, the first to sign up for WYD, arrives in Lisbon on August 2 and is scheduled to visit the Shrine of Fatima on August 5 to pray for peace and an end to the war in Ukraine.
The main ceremonies of the day will take place in Parque Tejo, north of Parque das Nações, on the riverside of the Tagus, on land owned by the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures, and in Parque Eduardo VII, in the center of the capital.