In the month before the Extraordinary Synod, John Paul II took the occasion of the United Nations' International Youth Year to launch one of the signature initiatives of his pontificate-the World Youth Days that would draw millions of young people on pilgrimage to Europe, Latin America, North America, Asia, and Oceania.[3]
The idea of the World Youth Day, the Pope remembered, could be traced back to his young friends in Srodowisko and their exploration of the personal and vocational dynamics of adolescence and young adulthood. His early papal pilgrimages, in Italy and abroad, had convinced him that a pastoral strategy of accompaniment with young people was as valid for a pope as it had been for a fledgling priest.
Srodowisko[4], a term suggested by Wojtyla himself in the 1960, is now used as a self-description by a group of some 200 men and women, many of them married couples with grandchildren, which first began take shape during his university Chaplaincy at St. Florian's Church in Krakow's old town, in Poland. Srodowisko does not translate easily. "Environment" is one possibility, but John Paul II prefers more humanistic "milieu." In any case, what would later come to be known as Srodowisko involved the fusing of several networks of young adults and young married couples with whom Father Wojtyla worked. The earliest of these called it self Rodzinka, or "little family." A later group of Wojtyla youngsters called themselves Paczka, "packet" or "parcel". Srodowisko saw youth groups evolve into networks of intellectual conversation. Both youngsters and intellectuals became involved in holiday excursions. The word itself maybe hard to translate, but that this network of friendships was crucial in shaping the ideas and the ministry of Karol Wojtyla the priest, later bishop, and ultimately pope, is indisputable. John Paul II marked the UN's International Youth Year and his Palm Sunday, 1985, meeting with young people in Rome with an Apostolic Letter, To the Youth of the World, which mixed reminiscence, exhortation, and the Pope's phenomenological approach to anything human in fairly equal proportions.
[edit] Traditional process
World Youth Day is commonly celebrated in a way similar to many events. The most emphasized and well known traditional theme is the unity and presence of numerous different cultures. Flags and other national declarations are displayed amongst people to show their attendance at the events and proclaim their own themes of Catholicism. Such is usually done through chants and singing of other national songs involving a Catholic theme.
Over the course of the major events taking place, national objects are traded between pilgrims. Flags, shirts, crosses, and other Catholic icons are carried amongst pilgrims which are later traded as souvenirs to other people from different countries of the world. A unity of acceptance among people is also common, with all different cultures coming together to appreciate one another.
Other largely recognized traditions include the Pope's public appearance, commencing with his arrival around the city with the 'Popemobile' and then with his final Mass held at the event. Such is the regard for the large distance of pilgrimage walks performed by the attenders of the event. The most recent festival in Sydney recorded an estimated distance of a 10km walk as roads and other public transport systems were closed off.
Pope Benedict XVI has criticized the tendency to view WYD as a kind of rock festival ; he stressed that the event should not be considered a "variant of modern youth culture" but as the fruition of a "long exterior and interior path". [5]
[edit] World Youth Day 2008
Main article: World Youth Day 2008
The Archdiocese of Sydney was chosen as the host of the 2008 World Youth Day celebrations. The occasion will mark only the fourth Papal visit to the country - Pope Paul VI, twice by Pope John Paul II and now Pope Benedict XVI. At the time it was announced in 2005, WYD 2008 was commended by then Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, and the Archbishop of Sydney, George Cardinal Pell.[6] World Youth Day 2008 was held in Sydney, with the Papal Mass held on the Sunday at Randwick Racecourse.
The week saw pilgrims from all continents participate in the Days in the Diocese program hosted by Catholic dioceses throughout Australia and New Zealand. The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI arrived into Sydney on Sunday 13 July 2008 at Richmond Air Force Base. Cardinal George Pell celebrated the Opening Mass at Barrangaroo (East Darling Harbour) with other activities including the re-enactment of Christ's passion during the Stations of the Cross and the Holy Father's boat cruise through Sydney Harbour. Pilgrims participated in a variety of youth festivities including visits to St Mary's Cathedral, daily Catechesis and Mass led by Bishops from all around the world, concerts, visits to the tomb of Blessed Mary MacKillop, the Vocations Expo at Darling Harbour, received the Sacrament of Reconciliation and prayed before the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration.
The event attracted 250,000 foreign visiting pilgrims to Sydney with an estimated 400,000 pilgrims attending Holy Mass celebrated by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday 20 July 2008. This is the largest single gathering of human beings at the one place in Australia's history[citation needed].
[edit] World Youth Day 2011
Following the celebration of Holy Mass at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on 20 July 2008, the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI proudly blessed the people of Spain by announcing that the next International World Youth Day 2011 will be held in Madrid, Spain. This will be held from August 15 until the 21st 2011.
