World Youth Day (WYD) is a celebration of young people who gather from all over the world together with the Pope in an expression of the Catholic faith. World Youth Day gives young people the opportunity to encounter Jesus and be encouraged by peers in the Universal church who share the same desire to deepen one’s faith, grow closer to Christ and evangelise.
This pilgrimage was first organised by Pope John Paul II in 1986 who recognised the necessity of creating a space for youths to feel accompanied and seen by the church in their walk of faith. The celebrations now take place around every three years in different locations. WYD stirs young people to bring a newly inspired zeal to their Catholic faith, as well as renewed passion into the community by enriching their personal relationship with Jesus and restoring peace and unity worldwide.
In Malta, we will also be celebrating the Diocesan Youth Day/Celebration on 21st November 2022, on the feast day of Solemnity of Christ the King. This celebration is organised at a diocesan level and takes place in every community around the world as local churches are called to reflect on youths and renew its celebration of the faith.
The next international World Youth Day will be held between 1st-6th August 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal.
For further information about WYD, you can visit their official website: WYD Lisbon 2023
Young people from all over the world are welcomed throughout the week with various initiatives organised by the team and are encouraged to participate in the activities, time of prayer and discussions. Youths are hosted in public spaces such as gymnasiums, and schools, parish facilities or family homes. The Pope celebrates the highlights of the week which include: the opening ceremony, the Way of the Cross, the vigil, and the closing mass.
Throughout the week that precedes WYD, young people are invited to “pre-WYD” or “days in the diocese” to integrate with the parish communities and get to know the host region and local Church better.
The theme for this year’s Diocesan Youth Day/Celebration and next year’s World Youth Day, is the bible verse chosen by Pope Francis: “Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk 1:39). The bible verse begins the passage of the Visitation, which narrates Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth after she is told by the angel Gabriel that she will be the mother of the Son of God. Mary’s response to this news is that of obedience as she says to the angel Gabriel: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word”. She also immediately visits Elizabeth who is pregnant despite having thought to be sterile in her old age. Mary sets an example for us to say ‘yes’ to God and quickly respond to God’s calling for us to spread the good news. In this way, Pope Francis encourages youths to adopt the same attitude: “may young people’s evangelization be active and missionary, for this is how they will recognize and witness the presence of the living Christ”.
The World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 theme song is entitled “Há Pressa no Ar” and is inspired by the theme: “Mary rose up and went with haste” Luke 1:39, reminding us of Mary and her urgency to visit her cousin Elizabeth after saying ‘yes’ to God. We are invited to recognise that like Mary, we are called to offer ourselves willingly for service, to the mission of evangelization and to change the world joyfully, spreading the good news.
The theme song, recorded in Portuguese and in an international version combining five languages, was written by a priest, João Paulo Vaz, while the music was composed by teacher and musician Pedro Ferreira, who are both part of the Diocese of Coimbra, in the centre region of Portugal. Musician Carlos Garcia took care of the arrangements.
The Church in Portugal is made up of 21 dioceses and 4380 parishes and the most expressive devotion is to Our Lady of Fatima. According to a 2018 study by the Benedict XVI Centre for Religion and Society, around 53% of Portuguese young people claim to be Catholics, which is higher than the European average.
For more information about the diocese in Lisbon, click here: https://www.patriarcado-lisboa.pt/site/