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Celebrating World Youth Day 2008A Pilgrimage of Faith for Young People from All over the World
WYD08 will mark the first visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Australia. Youth from all over the world will gather in the spirit of renewal.
World Youth Day (WYD2008) is expected to be the largest youth event in the world in 2008. The community celebrations take place in Sydney from Tuesday 15 to Sunday to 20 July 2008, when it will culminate in a final mass given by Pope Benedict XVI. Hundreds of thousands of young people from all over the world will take part in the celebrations. With a history stretching over a period of 21 years, it has become the largest single mobilisation of young people in the world. HistoryThe first World Youth Day was held by Pope John Paul II in 1986. From the beginning, he intended that it be an annual event. He wanted to revitalize the spirituality of youth all over the world. He took inspiration from massive gatherings of young people in Rome celebrating the Youth Jubilee in 1984. After the success in 1985 of the United Nations International Year of Youth, he decided to bring together young Catholics from around the globe. He wanted them to celebrate and learn together about their faith on a more regular basis. The Inspiration of Pope John Paul IIThe Pope saw the day as a way to
World Youth Day introduces young people to the idea of a pilgrimage of faith. In this way young people from diverse backgrounds meet and experience the love of God. Celebration of Mass WYD 2008The day that is called World Youth Day is Sunday 20 July 2008. The proceedings begin with a Papal motorcade commencing in Centennial Park at 9am. The final mass celebrated by the Pope begins at 10am at Southern Cross Precinct, Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park. At the end of this ceremony there will be an announcement of the next host city. This will take place at 12.15pm. From this point on, there will be Youth Festival events. They will take place between 12.30 and 5pm at Southern Cross Precinct, Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park. Lead Up EventsInternational interest in the proceedings has grown as the Journey of the Cross & Icon picks up pace. This journey is a major lead up event for World Youth Day 2008. The journey will continue through until 15 July 2008. You can follow the journey on the WYD08 website, by checking the itinerary, reading the blog and checking the photo gallery. The Theme of WYD08Everyone is welcome to attend World Youth Day. There has been an invitation from the Pope to the youth of the world to celebrate their faith around a particular theme. This year the theme is, 'You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.' Acts 1:8 This passage occurs just before Jesus ascends to the Father. It represents the birth of the Church, and in this case, carries a message of rebirth and renewal to the youth of the world. PurposeBecause WYD brings together young people from around the globe, it is a chance for Catholics both young and old to promote world peace. Through celebration and learning about their faith on a more regular basis, young people come to know each other better. Young people from throughout the world will make a pilgrimage in faith. It is believed that they will meet, and experience the love of God. These sentiments have been captured in the original logo design. OrganisationOrganised by the Catholic Church, WYD08 will mark the first visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Australia. The Mass is typically the largest event of the week and, overseas, has drawn millions of people. WYD08 will be the largest event Australia has ever hosted. It is expected to attract over 125,000 international visitors - more than the 2000 Olympics! Up to 225,000 registered pilgrims are expected to take part in WYD08 events each day. According to the official website, it is estimated that :
The copyright of the article Celebrating World Youth Day 2008 in Catholic Mass & Holy Days is owned by Jo Murphy. Permission to republish Celebrating World Youth Day 2008 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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