As of writing, my friend Zeny is enjoying and celebrating the 26th World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain. She is a delegate of the Archdiocese of Manila since there will be no official delegates from the Pontifical University. Accompanied by delegates from different parishes under the Diocese of Manila, they will definitely feel the spirit and the overwhelming joy of Youth all over the world praising our God Almighty.
To give you a background of what World Youth Day is all about, this is the brief history:
By the end of 1983, Pope John Paul II proclaimed an extraordinary Holy Year of Jubilee, which carried the theme “Aperite portas Redemptori”, “Open the doors to the Redeemer”.
As this extraordinary Jubilee ends, the Pope invited young people, from all over the world, to a large meeting on Palm Sunday 1983. The response was so overwhelming that the Pope once more sent an invitation for a larger youth meetings on the Palm Sunday of 1983 in Rome. The United Nation Organizations proclaimed this year as the International Youth Year.
On the 20th of December 1983, six months after the second gathering, Pope John Paull II officially proclaimed the establishment of a World Youth Day, in an address to the College of Cardinals and the Roman Curia. The Pope declared, “The Lord blessed that meeting (with young people – on the eve of Palm Sunday – 30 March 1985) in an extraordinary way to the extent that a World Youth Day was established for forthcoming years to be celebrated on Palm Sunday together with the useful assistance of the Council for the Laity”.
World Youth Day (WYD) is a pilgrimage of young people and a festival of encounter and solidarity. The invitation is directed to the young people from all over the world.
The purpose of WYD is to take up the main concern of Pope John Paul II – a renewal of evangelization that is also to reach young people. it gives young people the opportunity to discover the “young and modern mystery of the church” in the common experience of pilgrimage, prayer and worship.
World Youth Day is celebrated in two ways:
1. Every year at the diocesan level or in local churches with the Pope in Rome, on Palm Sunday.
2. Every 2 or 3 years interval, the world gathering of young people with the Holy Father is celebrated in a different countryThe city for the international venue is chosen each time by the Pope, who usually announces it on Palm Sunday of the previous year or at the end of the previous international gathering.
List of the World Youth Day International gatherings in chronological order:
Year and Location Theme 1986– Rome, Italy Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you.– 1Pt 3:15 1987– Buenos Aires, Argentina We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves.- 1Jn 4:16 1989– Santiago de Compostela, Spain I am the way, the truth, and the life– Jn 14:6 1991– Czestochowa, Poland You have received a spirit of sonship.– Romans 8:15 1993– Denver. USA I came that they might have life, and have it to the full.– Jn 10:10 1995– Manila, Philippines As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.– Jn 20:21 1997– Paris, France Teacher, where are you staying? Come and see.– Jn 1:38-39 2000– Rome, Italy Jubilee – The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.– Jn 1:14 2002-Toronto, Canada You are the salt of the earth; You are the light of the world.– Mt 5:13-14 2005– Cologne, Germany We have come to worship him.– Mt 2:2 2008– Sydney, Australia You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses-Acts 1, 8 2011– Madrid, Spain Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith-Col 2:7 The World Youth Day Programme usually consists of the following:
1. Opening Mass
2. Papal Welcoming ceremony
3. Three days Catechesis
4. Way of the Cross
5. Vigil with the Holy Father
6. Papal Closing Mass
So, informed enough? Hehe! :p The year in red text was when I was part of the World Youth Day celebration as an Official Delegate for the University of Santo Tomas. It was after I finished College (I graduated March and the celebration was in August) so it felt like it was really meant for me! :p
Kidding aside, it was really a memorable one. I did blogged about my experience but I placed it in my Geocities page that was eventually phased out by Yahoo! Good thing my friend Roan managed to preserve his blog about the event. You can check his WYD blog for a detailed rundown of what happened there. I really can’t remember all those tiny details but rest assured, the festive fun, the overwhelming faith, the loud screaming of the delegates, and a lot more are still very vivid in my our minds.
Here’s a video about our journey and pilgrimage in Europe:
The video was played during our 1st reunion in August 2006. I just watched it again and it really gives me goosebumps! It happens every time I watch WYD related stuff. I even get teary eyed. Haha! It’s really overwhelming, no words can explain. You have to be there and experience it on your own.
Sharing you some pictures of the delegates from UST:
(I will create a slideshow of pictures next time. ^_^)
By the way, the 20th WYD in Germany was the first WYD that the new Pope Benedict XVI celebrated. The last message of Pope John Paul II announcing the next international venue from the previous gathering can be read here.
For Madrid 2011 updates, you can check out Vatican’s Youtube channel as well as World Youth Day Facebook page. You can also follow them on twitter.
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