World Youth Day

World Youth Day (WYD) is an event for young people organized by the Catholic Church. The next, World Youth Day 2019, will be held in Panama.

World Youth Day was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985. It's concept have been influanced by Light-Life Movement, that existed in Poland since 1960s, where during summer camps catholic young adults on 13 day of camps celebrated so called day of community. For the first celebration of WYD in 1986, bishops were invited to schedule an annual youth event to be held every Palm Sunday in their dioceses. It is celebrated at the diocesan level annually, and at the international level every two to three years at different locations. The 1995 World Youth Day closing Mass in the Philippines set a world record for the largest number of people gathered for a single religious event with 5 million attendees— a record surpassed when 6 million attended a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis in the Philippines 20 years later in 2015.

Map of World Youth Day locations. Countries that have hosted at least one WYD are shaded green.

Traditional process

World Youth Day is commonly celebrated in a way similar to many events. The most emphasized and well known traditional theme is the unity and presence of numerous different cultures. Flags and other national declarations are displayed among, mainly young people to show their attendance at the events and proclaim their own themes of Catholicism. Such is usually done through chants and singing of other national songs involving a Catholic theme.

Over the course of the major events taking place, national objects are traded between pilgrims. Flags, shirts, crosses, and other Catholic icons are carried amongst pilgrims which are later traded as souvenirs to other people from different countries of the world. A unity of acceptance among people is also common, with all different cultures coming together to appreciate one another.

Other widely recognized traditions include the Pope's public appearance, commencing with his arrival around the city in the "Popemobile" and then with his final Mass held at the event. A festival in Sydney recorded an estimated distance of a 10-kilometre walk as roads and other public transport systems were closed off.

Pope Benedict XVI criticized the tendency to view WYD as a kind of rock festival; he stressed that the event should not be considered a "variant of modern youth culture" but as the fruition of a "long exterior and interior path".^[1]

History

1987 to 1993

1987 WYD was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 1989 WYD took place in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. 1991 WYD was held in Częstochowa, Poland. 1993 WYD was celebrated in Denver, Colorado, United States.

1995 to 2005

A view of the celebratory vibe outside the Cologne Cathedral in Germany (2005). The participation of Catholics from many countries worldwide results in an enhanced and collaborate spiritual experience.

At WYD 1995, 5 million youths gathered at Luneta Park in Manila, Philippines, an event recognized as the largest crowd ever by the Guinness World Records.^[2] In an initial comment immediately following the event, Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, stated that over 4 million people had participated.^[3]

1997 WYD was held in Paris, France. 2000 WYD took place in Rome, Italy. 2002 WYD was held in Toronto, Canada. 2005 WYD was celebrated in Cologne, Germany. Thomas Gabriel composed for the final Mass on 21 August 2005 the Missa mundi (Mass of the world), representing five continents in style and instrumentation, in a European Kyrie influenced by the style of Bach, a South American Gloria with guitars and pan flutes, an Asian Credo with sitar, an African Sanctus with drums, and an Australian Agnus Dei with didgeridoos.^[4]

2008

Sydney, Australia, was chosen as the host of the 2008 World Youth Day celebrations. At the time it was announced in 2005, WYD 2008 was commended by the then Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, and the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell.^[5] World Youth Day 2008 was held in Sydney, with the Papal Mass held on the Sunday at Randwick Racecourse.

The week saw pilgrims from all continents participate in the Days in the Diocese program hosted by Catholic dioceses throughout Australia and New Zealand. Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Sydney on 13 July 2008 at Richmond Air Force Base. Cardinal Pell celebrated the Opening Mass at Barangaroo (East Darling Harbour) with other activities including the re-enactment of Christ's passion during the Stations of the Cross and the pope's boat cruise through Sydney Harbour. Pilgrims participated in a variety of youth festivities including visits to St Mary's Cathedral, daily catechesis and Mass led by bishops from around the world, concerts, visits to the tomb of Saint Mary MacKillop, the Vocations Expo at Darling Harbour, received the Sacrament of Reconciliation and praying before the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration. The Mass and concert at Barangaroo saw an estimated crowd of 150,000.

The event attracted 250,000 foreign visiting pilgrims to Sydney, with an estimated 400,000 pilgrims attending Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI on 20 July.^[6]

Crowd at Barangaroo, Sydney, for first day of WYD08 celebrations

In May 2007, it was reported that Guy Sebastian's song "Receive the Power" had been chosen as official anthem for World Youth Day (WYD08) to be held in Sydney in 2008. The song was co-written by Guy Sebastian and Gary Pinto, with vocals by Paulini.^[7][8]

"Receive the Power"^[9] was used extensively throughout the six days of World Youth Day in July 2008 and also in worldwide television coverage.^[10]

In November 2008, a 200-page book, Receive the Power, was launched to commemorate World Youth Day 2008.^[11]

2011

Following the celebration of Holy Mass at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on 20 July 2008, Pope Benedict XVI announced that the next International World Youth Day 2011 would be held in Madrid, Spain. This event was held from 16–21 August 2011.

There were nine official patron saints^[12] for World Youth Day 2011 in addition to Blessed John Paul II: St. Isidore, St. John of the Cross, St. María de la Cabeza, St. John of Ávila, St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Rose of Lima, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Rafael Arnáiz and St. Francis Xavier, patron of world missions. During his address to seminarians, Benedict announced that the Spanish mystic and patron of Spanish diocesan clerics St. John of Ávila would become a "Doctor of the Church",^[13] a designation granted to only 34 saints throughout the twenty centuries of Church history.

An estimated 2,000,000 people attended an all-night vigil to complete the week, more than expected.

Pope Francis arrives at Copacabana, 26 July 2013

2013

Since 2002, World Youth Day has been held every three years. After the 2011 event the next World Youth Day was scheduled a year earlier than usual, in 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in order to avoid any conflict with the 2014 FIFA World Cup being held in 12 different host cities throughout Brazil and the 2016 Summer Olympics being held in Rio de Janeiro.

2016

Pope Francis announced at the end of closing Mass for World Youth Day 2013 that Kraków, Poland would be the venue for World Youth Day 2016.^[14] An estimated three million people attended. Young people from many different countries around the world took part in the week long event which began on 25 July 2016 and ended on 31 July 2016 with an open-air mass led by Pope Francis at Campus Misericordiae where he announced that the next World Youth Day will take place in Panama, Central America in 2019. The theme for this year's World Youth Day was "Blessed Are The Merciful, For They Shall Obtain Mercy". This very much fit in with the Year of Mercy which was initiated by Pope Francis on 8 December 2015 and concluded 20 November 2016.

2019

At the Concluding Mass for World Youth Day 2016 in Kraków, Pope Francis announced that Panama City will host World Youth Day in 2019.^[15]

Chronology of celebrations

#	Year	Date	City	Country	Continent	Attendance Note 01	Theme	Anthem	Mass venue	Notes
1	1984	12 - 15 April	Vatican City	Vatican (  Vatican City)	Europe	300,000	Holy Year of the Redemption: A Festival of Hope	"Resta Qui Con Noi"	Saint Peter's Square	Pope John Paul II entrusts the WYD Cross to the Youth First WYD in Southern Europe First WYD in Europe First WYD in a Romance-language-speaking (Italian) country
2	1985	26 - 31 March	Rome	Italy	Europe	300,000	International Youth Year		Saint Peter's Square	Second WYD in Southern Europe Second WYD in Europe
3	1987	11 - 12 April	Buenos Aires	Argentina	South America	1,000,000	We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves (1 Jn 4:16)	"Un Nuevo Sol"	Avenida 9 de Julio	First WYD outside Vatican City First WYD outside Europe First WYD in South America First WYD outside Rome to be held outside the months of July/August. First WYD in Southern Hemisphere
4	1989	15 - 20 August	Santiago de Compostela	Spain	Europe	1,000,000	I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6)	"Somos Los Jóvenes"	Monte do Gozo	First WYD in Southwestern Europe Third WYD in Europe
5	1991	10 - 15 August	Częstochowa	Poland	Europe	1,600,000	You have received a spirit of sonship (Rom 8:15)	"Abba Ojcze"	Jasna Góra Monastery	First WYD in Central Europe Fourth WYD in Europe First WYD in a Slavic-language-speaking (Polish) country First WYD in the Pope's native country
6	1993	10 - 15 August	Denver	United States	North America	700,000	I came that they might have life, and have it to the full (Jn 10:10)	"(We Are) One Body"	Cherry Creek State Park	First WYD in North America First WYD in a Germanic-language-speaking (English) country
7	1995	10 - 15 January	Manila	Philippines	Asia	5,000,000	As the Father sent me, so am I sending you (Jn 20:21)	"Tell the World of His Love"	Luneta Park	2nd largest Papal gathering (Next to Papal Visit 2015) First WYD held in Southeastern Asia First WYD in Asia First WYD in a country with a non-Indo-European language Second WYD outside Rome to be held outside the months of July/August. First WYD to be located inside the tropical zone.
8	1997	19 - 24 August	Paris	France[16]	Europe	1,600,000	Teacher, where are you staying? Come and see (cf. Jn 1:38–39)	"Maître Et Seigneur"	Longchamp Racecourse	First WYD in Western Europe Fifth WYD in Europe
9	2000	15 - 20 August	Rome	Italy	Europe	2,200,000	The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14)	"Emmanuel"	Tor Vergata	Held on the occasion of the Great Jubilee Third WYD in Southern Europe Sixth WYD in Europe
10	2002	23 - 28 July	Toronto	Canada	North America	800,000	You are the salt of the earth ... you are the light of the world (Mt 5:13–14)	"Lumière Du Monde/Light Of The World"	Downsview Park	Last WYD attended by Pope John Paul II Second WYD in North America
11	2005	16 - 21 August	Cologne	Germany	Europe	1,200,000[17][18]	We have come to worship Him (Mt 2:2)	"Venimus Adorare Eum"	Marienfeld	First WYD attended by Pope Benedict XVI, himself a native German. Second WYD in Western Europe Seventh WYD in Europe
12	2008	15 - 20 July	Sydney	Australia	Oceania	400,000[19]	You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses. (Ac 1:8)	"Receive the Power"	Randwick Racecourse	First WYD in Oceania
13	2011	16 - 21 August	Madrid	Spain[20]	Europe	1,400,000- 2,000,000[21][22][23]	Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith (Col 2:7)[24]	"Firmes en la Fe"	Cuatro Vientos Airport	Last WYD attended by Pope Benedict XVI Second WYD in Southwestern Europe Eighth WYD in Europe
14	2013	23 - 28 July	Rio de Janeiro	Brazil[25]	South America	3,700,000[26]	Go and make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19)	"Esperança do Amanhecer"	Copacabana Beach	First WYD attended by Pope Francis, himself from South America Second WYD in South America The first WYD where all the major events took place in one location
15	2016	26 - 31 July	Kraków	Poland	Europe	3,000,000	Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. (Mt 5:7)[27]	"Błogosławieni miłosierni	Brzegi, Wieliczka County	Second WYD in Central Europe Ninth WYD in Europe Held on the Occasion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy Coincided with the 1050th Anniversary of the Baptism of Poland
16	2019	22 - 27 January	Panama City	Panama	Central America		I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word (Lk 1:38)[28]	"Hágase en mí, según tu palabra"		First WYD to take place in Central America Third WYD outside Rome to be held outside the months of July/August.

^{Note 01}Attendance numbers reflect the total number at the closing Mass which includes many locals who attended only that one event. Unless otherwise referenced, the numbers are quoted from the USCCB website.
^{Note 02}This lists languages used in the main international version of the anthem. Local versions of the anthem in other languages (and alternate versions) may have also been produced.

Diocesan

^[29]

Typical schedule of events

International level

Diocesan level

At the diocesan level celebrations are decided by a local team usually appointed by the ordinary.

Since these celebrations usually occur during Palm Sunday, it almost always includes the Mass of Passion Sunday – when Jesus' entry to Jerusalem in his final days is commemorated.

Music, prayer, reconciliation opportunities, as well as adoration of the Blessed Sacrament may also be part of the celebrations.

See also

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to World Youth Day.

• Official World Youth Day website
• Vatican World Youth Day website
• WYD Sydney 2008
• WYD Madrid 2011
• WYD Rio 2013
• WYD Kraków 2016
• WYD Panama 2019
• WYD page from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• World Youth Day Photo Slideshows, Themesongs and Small Movie (English/Dutch/German)
• In pictures: Pope ends Australia trip