World Youth Day (WYD) is an event for the youth organized by the Catholic Church that was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985. Its concept has been influenced by the Light-Life Movement that has existed in Poland since the 1960s, where during summer camps Catholic young adults over 13 days of camp celebrated a "day of community". For the first celebration of WYD in 1986, bishops were invited to schedule an annual youth event to be held every Palm Sunday in their dioceses. Nicknamed "The Catholic Woodstock", it is celebrated at the diocesan level annually—in most places on Palm Sunday from 1986 to 2020, and from 2021 on Christ the King Sunday—and at the international level every two to four years at different locations. The 1995 World Youth Day closing Mass in the Philippines set a world record for the largest number of people gathered for a single religious event with 5 million attendees. This record was surpassed when 6 million attended a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis—again in the Philippines—20 years later in 2015.
Traditional process The most emphasized and well known traditional theme is the unity and presence of numerous cultures. Flags and other national declarations are displayed among mainly young 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. A unity of acceptance among people is also common, with all cultures coming together to appreciate one another.
Other widely recognized traditions include the Pope's public appearance, commencing with his arrival around the city in the "Popemobile" and then with his final Mass held at the event. A festival in Sydney (2008) recorded an estimated distance of a 10-kilometre walk as roads and other public transport systems were closed off.
Pope Benedict XVI 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".
History 1987 to 1993 1987 WYD was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 1989 WYD took place in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. 1991 WYD was held in Częstochowa, Poland. 1993 WYD was celebrated in Denver, Colorado, United States.
1995 to 2005
At WYD 1995, 5 million youths gathered at Luneta Park in Manila, Philippines, an event recognized as the largest crowd ever by the Guinness World Records. In an initial comment immediately following the event, Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, stated that over 4 million people had participated.
1997 WYD was held in Paris. 2000 WYD took place in Rome. 2002 WYD was held in Toronto. 2005 WYD was celebrated in Cologne, Germany. Thomas Gabriel composed for the final Mass on 21 August 2005 the Missa mundi (Mass of the world), representing five continents in style and instrumentation, in a European influenced by the style of Bach, a South American with guitars and pan flutes, an Asian with sitar, an African with drums, and an Australian with didgeridoos.
2008
Sydney, Australia, was chosen as the host of the 2008 World Youth Day celebrations. At the time it was announced in 2005, WYD 2008 was commended by the then Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, and the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell."Australians delighted at 2008 World Youth Day" 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. Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Sydney on 13 July 2008 at Richmond Air Force Base. Cardinal Pell celebrated the Opening Mass at Barangaroo (East Darling Harbour) with other activities including the re-enactment of Christ's passion during the Stations of the Cross and the Pope'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 around the world, concerts, visits to the tomb of Saint Mary MacKillop, the Vocations Expo at Darling Harbour, reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and praying before the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration. The Mass and concert at Barangaroo saw an estimated crowd of 150,000.
The event attracted 250,000 foreign visiting pilgrims to Sydney, with an estimated 400,000 pilgrims attending Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI on 20 July.
On 12 June 2008, Xt3.com, a Catholic social online network and news site, was launched as the Official Catholic Social Network of WYD. It was considered to be a direct fruit of WYD08, just as Salt + Light Television was a direct fruit of World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto. The name was an abbreviation for "Christ in the Third Millennium" and is operated by the Archdiocese of Sydney, with the support of Archbishop Cardinal George Pell. The site was closed in 2019.
In December 2012, the xt3 team produced a 'Gangnam Style' Advent video.What is Advent? Gangnam Style!
In May 2007, it was reported that Guy Sebastian's song "Receive the Power" had been chosen as official anthem for World Youth Day (WYD08) to be held in Sydney in 2008. The song was co-written by Guy Sebastian and Gary Pinto, with vocals by Paulini.
"Receive the Power" was used extensively throughout the six days of World Youth Day in July 2008 and also in worldwide television coverage.
In November 2008, a 200-page book, Receive the Power, was launched to commemorate World Youth Day 2008.
2011
Following the celebration of Holy Mass at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on 20 July 2008, Pope Benedict XVI announced that the next International World Youth Day 2011 would be held in Madrid, Spain. This event was held from 16 to 21 August 2011.
There were nine official patron saints for World Youth Day 2011 in addition to Pope John Paul II: Isidore, John of the Cross, María de la Cabeza, John of Ávila, Teresa of Ávila, Rose of Lima, Ignatius of Loyola, Rafael Arnáiz, and Francis Xavier patron of world missions. During his address to seminarians, Benedict announced that the Spanish mystic and patron of Spanish diocesan clerics St. John of Ávila would become a "Doctor of the Church", a designation granted to only 34 saints throughout the twenty centuries of church history.
An estimated 2,000,000 people attended an all-night vigil to complete the week, more than expected.
2013
Since 2002, World Youth Day has been held every three years. After the 2011 event the next World Youth Day was scheduled a year earlier than usual, in 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in order to avoid any conflict with the 2014 FIFA World Cup being held in 12 host cities throughout Brazil and the 2016 Summer Olympics being held in Rio de Janeiro. More than 3 Million catholic youth had gathered for the event from across the world.
2016
Pope Francis announced at the end of closing Mass for World Youth Day 2013 that Kraków, Poland, would be the venue for World Youth Day 2016. An estimated three million people attended. Young people from many countries took part in the week-long event which began on 25 July 2016, and ended on 31 July 2016 with an open-air mass led by Pope Francis at Campus Misericordiae. The theme for this year's World Youth Day was "Blessed Are The Merciful, For They Shall Obtain Mercy", tying in closely with the Year of Mercy, which was initiated by Pope Francis on 8 December 2015 and concluded 20 November 2016.
2019
At the Concluding Mass for World Youth Day 2016 in Kraków, Pope Francis announced that Panama City would host World Youth Day in 2019. The World Youth Day was held from Tuesday 22 January until Sunday 27 January.
2023
At the concluding mass in Panama City, Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced that the next World Youth Day would be in Lisbon, Portugal. Originally scheduled to be held in August 2022, the Holy See announced on 20 April 2020 that it was postponed to August 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 1.5 million pilgrims attended, in particular, the overnight vigil and the concluding mass.
2027
The 2027 World Youth Day will be in Seoul, South Korea as announced by Pope Francis during the concluding mass at Parque Tejo in Lisbon. It will take place from August 3–8, 2027.
Chronology of celebrations #YearDateCityCountryContinentAttendanceFigures for 1985–2013: ThemeAnthemMass venueNotes I198414–15 AprilVatican CityEurope300,000Holy Year of the Redemption: A Festival of Hope"Resta Qui Con Noi" Saint Peter's SquarePope John Paul II entrusts the WYD Cross to the Youth First WYD in Southern Europe First WYD in Europe First WYD in a Romance-language-speaking (Italian) country II198530–31 MarchRomeEurope300,001International Youth Year "Christus Pax Nostra"Saint Peter's SquareFirst WYD outside Vatican City Second WYD in Southern Europe Second WYD in Europe III19876–12 AprilBuenos AiresSouth America1,000,000"We have recognized the love that God has for us, and we have believed in it."(1 Jn 4:16)"Un Nuevo Sol" Avenida 9 de JulioFirst WYD outside Europe First WYD in South America First WYD outside Rome to be held outside the months of July/August. First WYD in Southern Hemisphere IV198919–20 AugustSantiago de CompostelaEurope600,000I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6)"Somos Los Jóvenes" Monte do GozoFirst WYD in Southwestern Europe Third WYD in Europe V199110–15 AugustCzęstochowaEurope1,600,000You have received a spirit of children (Rom 8:15)"Abba Ojcze" Jasna Góra MonasteryFirst WYD in Central Europe Fourth WYD in Europe First WYD in a Slavic-language-speaking (Polish) country First WYD in the Pope's native country VI199310–15 AugustDenverNorth America700,000I came that they might have life, and have it to the full (Jn 10:10)"(We Are) One Body" Cherry Creek State ParkFirst WYD in North America First WYD in a Germanic-language-speaking (English) country VII199510–15 JanuaryManilaAsia5,000,000As the Father has sent me, so am I sending you (Jn 20:21)"Tell the World of His Love" Luneta Park2nd largest Papal gathering (Next to Papal Visit 2015) First WYD held in Southeast Asia First WYD in Asia First WYD in an Austronesian-language-speaking (Tagalog) country Second WYD outside Rome to be held outside the months of July/August. First WYD to be located inside the tropical zone. First WYD where all the major events took place in one location VIII199719–24 AugustParisEurope1,200,000Teacher, where do you live? Come and see (cf. Jn 1:38–39)"Maître Et Seigneur" Longchamp RacecourseFirst WYD in Western Europe Fifth WYD in Europe IX200015–20 AugustRomeEurope2,000,000The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14)"Emmanuel" Tor VergataHeld on the occasion of the Great Jubilee Third WYD in Southern Europe Sixth WYD in Europe X200223–28 JulyTorontoNorth America800,000You are the salt of the earth ... you are the light of the world (Mt 5:13–14)"Lumière Du Monde/Light Of The World" Downsview ParkLast WYD attended by Pope John Paul II Second WYD in North America XI200516–21 AugustCologneEurope1,000,000WYD08 FAQs – About... Q6New South Wales Parliament Hansard – [World Youth Day 2005] culminated in Pope Benedict XVI announcing on 21 August 2005 before 1.2 million people in Cologne, GermanyWe have come to worship Him (Mt 2:2)"Venimus Adorare Eum" MarienfeldFirst WYD attended by Pope Benedict XVI, himself a native German. Second WYD in Western Europe