World Youth Day, 15 July
This is another one of those internationally significant days that you will find on edna’s Australian Schools Calendar.
World Youth Day is part of the Catholic Church’s week of events for youth and with youth. It gathers thousands of young people from around the world to celebrate and learn about the Catholic faith and to build bridges of friendship and hope between continents, peoples and cultures.
This year’s World Youth Day (WYD08) is the largest youth event in the world and will be held in Sydney from Tuesday 15 to Sunday 20 July 2008. WYD08 will be the largest event Australia has ever hosted. It will attract over 125,000 international visitors - more than the 2000 Olympics. WYD08 will mark the first visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Australia.
Events will occur from Tuesday 15 July until Sunday 20 July, with Pope Benedict arriving Thursday 17 July. There is a very full week of events, involving schools and host families right across Sydney. For many the highlight will be the Evening Vigil with the Pope and sleep out under the stars at Southern Cross Precinct (Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park) on Saturday night.
More than 165 outside concerts will take place during the week, and people from Sydney and regional centres have been organised into supporting the event as “pilgrim guides”.
The pilgrims will come from all over Australia and overseas, and at least half a million pilgrims are expected. The statistics for catering and accommodation are amazing.
With only one week to go on July 7, the “Olympic Torch” of World Youth Day reached Parramatta on its way through Sydney to the WYD08 Opening Mass. A 3.8 metre Cross, accompanied by an Icon of Our Lady and an Indigenous Message Stick, has been travelling through greater Sydney since 1 July.