World Youth Day 2008

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XXIII World Youth Day 2008
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8)
Location	Sydney, Australia
Date	July 15–July 20, 2008

In 1986, Pope John Paul II invited the youth of the Catholic Church to gather in St Peter's Square on Palm Sunday to celebrate their faith. This began a journey of faith for all young people of the world and the concept of pilgrimage towards World Youth Day was born. Every year, World Youth Day is celebrated at a Diocesan level on Palm Sunday, with a massive international gathering of youth in a "host city" every 2-3 years. Cities such as Buenos Aires (Argentina), Santiago de Compostela (Spain), Czestochowa (Poland), Denver (USA), Manila (Philippines), Paris (France), Rome (Italy), Toronto (Canada) and Cologne (Germany) have all hosted the international World Youth Day. On 21 August 2005, perched on a hill at Marienfeld outside Cologne, Pope Benedict XVI invited the youth of the world to proclaim and celebrate the Holy Spirit at the 23rd World Youth Day to be held in Sydney, Australia in 2008.

"And now, as the living presence of the Risen Christ in our midst nourishes our faith and hope, I am pleased to announce that the next World Youth Day will take place in Sydney, Australia, in 2008. We entrust to the maternal guidance of Mary most holy, the future course of the young people of the whole world." (Pope Benedict XVI, Marienfield, WYD 2005)

The theme of World Youth Day 2008 will be "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8)

From July 2007 until World Youth Day, a large wooden WYD Cross (entrusted to the youth of the world from Pope John Paul 2 as a sign of peace and hope) and a large Icon of the Virgin Mary (as a symbol of Mary's maternal love for young people) will journey around the dioceses of Australia, engaging with a variety of Catholic parishes and communities.

World Youth Day is the world's largest youth festival. It will begin with the Opening Mass on 15 July 2008, celebrated by George Cardinal Pell, the Archbishop of Sydney. Pilgrims will be able to celebrate Mass and Catechesis each morning with the rest of the world. There will be youth festivals each afternoon with concerts, seminars, conferences, etc. On the Thursday, the youth of the world will welcome the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI to Sydney. The Way of the Cross (Stations of the Cross) will be held through the streets of Sydney on Friday. On Saturday 19 July 2008, The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be the focus of a 10-kilometre pilgrims' walk in which tens of thousands of Catholics will cross the city to attend an overnight vigil before the Mass at Randwick Racecourse.

Up to 400,000 pilgrims will sleep out under the stars at Randwick, before an estimated 600,000 Catholics are expected to attend the final Mass celebrated by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday 20 July 2008.[1] Pope Benedict will follow a tradition of Australian Papal Masses at Randwick Racecourse following in the footsteps of Popes John Paul II and Paul VI.

The event is expected to bring more than $100 million to the economy of New South Wales.[2]

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

http://www.catholic.travel/ Current information on World Youth Day 2008.
Official World Youth Day 2008 website
Neocatechumenal Way World Youth Day 2008 website
http://www.military.catholic.org.au/wyd2008. Information from the Military Ordinariate of Australia (Catholic Diocese of the Australian Defence Force). For Australian and foreign military pilgrims planning to travel to World Youth Day 2008.