WORLD YOUTH DAY IN SALE

What is World Youth Day? Sydney July 15-20 2008     WYD08 in Sydney World Youth Day 2008 (WYD08) - to be hosted in Sydney from 15-20 July - is expected to attract half a million participants, including over 125,000 international visitors. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will make his first visit to Australia for WYD08, presiding over the Final Mass.   Initiated by Pope John Paul II, the first World Youth Day was held in Rome in 1986 on Palm Sunday. It continues to be celebrated as a diocesan level on Palm Sunday each year. But every 2-3 years a massive international gathering celebrates in a different 'host city'. Buenos Aires, Czestochowa, Denver, Manila, Paris, Toronto and Cologne have all been hosts. The international World Youth Days are marked by a week-long series of events, attended by the Pope and hundreds of thousands of young people from all over the world. From throughout the world, young people will make a pilgrimage in faith, meet and experience hospitality and the love of God. They will have an opportunity to rediscover their baptismal calling and the centrality of the sacraments of the Eucharist, reconciliation and the richness of the Catholic faith.   The WYD08 theme, received from the Holy Father is:   You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses. [Acts 1:8]   The theme will be explored when the world's young people gather in Sydney with a focus on being empowered to be witnesses of the Gospel in the modern world.   Program for the WYD08 week   WYD08 will encompass a week of festivities beginning with the Opening Mass of welcome on Tuesday 15 July, celebrated by Cardinal George Pell. The rest of the week will follow the traditional WYD program including a series of catechesis (teaching) in language groups and a variety of creative forums, seminars, concerts, speakers, opportunities for service and prayer known as the Youth Festival.   On Thursday 17 July, the Holy Father is expected to be welcomed by the young people of the world and the Friday evening will see a Stations of the Cross re-enactment.   The week culminates on the Saturday in a pilgrim walk to the vigil site where hundreds of thousands of youth will pray with the Holy Father then sleep out under the stars to await his return the following morning for the Final Mass.