WYD Announcement Still Weeks Away

By Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese

1 August 2005

The announcement about the host city for World Youth Day 2008 will be made by Pope Benedict XVI in Cologne on Sunday 21 August 2005.

World Youth Day (WYD) is a world wide celebration for young people held every two or three years depending on the Catholic calendar and the timing of other major events.  WYD has become the largest single international mobilisation of young people the world has ever seen.  It is an event for people 16-35 years of age, held over six days.

The event commences on a Monday with arrival and registration of pilgrims.  A Papal welcome would generally occur on the Thursday and is one of the flagship events of the WYD.  Stations of the Cross take place on Friday evening with a pilgrimage walk on Saturday to an evening vigil Mass and “sleep-out” on Saturday night.   The final Mass is held with the Holy Father on Sunday morning and pilgrims commence their departure from mid-Sunday onwards.

The Archdiocese of Sydney has submitted, with the full support of the Federal and State Governments, a strong bid to host WYD 2008 which was very well received. This was presented last month by a team led by Cardinal George Pell.

However, there has been no official notification that this bid has been successful.

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese said “Not until 21 August will we know whether WYD 2008 will be held in Sydney and Pope Benedict XVI will be coming to Australia to meet with the youth of the world.”