When Is World Youth Day 2023: The Church is begging the young people at World Youth Day to use the power of the Holy Spirit to reach out to people near and far. Let them know about the freeing freedom you’ve found in Christ. People want the full life that Christ came to give them, and they also want to be truly free inside. Young Catholics all over the world, I pray that you will never give up on this goal. Pick up the Cross of Christ. Let the words of life keep going through your mind. Accept the Lord’s saving grace in your lives. We saw St. John Paul II in Denver, Colorado, in 1993.
What is World Youth Day?
The Pope called World Teenagers Day an event for teens between the ages of 16 and 35 around the world. It takes place in a different city around the world every two to three years. It is deeply based on Catholic identity and includes a Mass with the Pope, but people from all walks of life are welcome.
There is more to World Youth Day than just a festival for young people. It is an “expression of the universal Church and a powerful moment of evangelization for the world of youth.” Thousands of young people come to this event, which has places to stay, from churches to campgrounds. More than 400,000 teens have officially signed up to take part in the 2023 International World Teenagers Day in Lisbon, Portugal.
In 1995, almost 5 million people came to Manila for World Youth Day, making it the most popular location. For the special event, Pope John Paul II had to use a helicopter instead of the popemobile to get above the huge people after Mass.
Travel and Preparing for World Youth Day
Pilgrims usually have to pay for travel, lodging, and other needs as they use different types of transportation from all over the world to get there, but going to World Youth Day (WYD) is free. There are many educational institutions, houses of worship, and other groups that support WYD pilgrimage groups.
On World Grandparents and the Elderly Day, which falls around the feasts of Sts. Their names were Joachim and Anne, and they were born on July 23. Before they go on their journey, Pope Francis tells people who are going to visit their grandparents or an older adult who lives alone how important it is to pray for them. As part of World Youth Day, the Pope also urges older people to pray with the young people, seeing them as God’s answer to their prayers and a sign of God’s ongoing renewal, which is made possible by the Holy Spirit’s work.
As with past pilgrimages, prayer is an important part of getting ready for this one. Pope Francis stresses how important it is to have Christ in your heart in order to really meet other people in Christ. As travelers, he tells them to share Jesus with everyone they meet along the way, and he values their goals and every step.
If you can’t make it to WYD, add prayer to your journey planning by praying for someone else or using Hallow. You can pray with Mary this week by saying the Rosary or other Marian prayers. This week’s theme is Mary’s happy rush to share God’s love. Praying a novena for yourself or the intentions of friends and family is another meaningful way to get your heart ready. It’s beautiful to pray the Sacred Heart Novena, the Mary Novena, the Undoer of Knots Novena, or the Surrender Novena for nine days. They will all help you get closer to Jesus.
World Youth Day History
World Youth Day (WYD) came about because of the inspiring leadership of St. John Paul II as Pope. In 1986, St. John Paul II made World Youth Day an international event for young people. The first official World Youth Day was held in Rome, Italy. This project was sparked by Pope John Paul II’s call to a celebration of Palm Sunday in St. Peter’s Square by young people from around the world after the Holy Year of Redemption in 1984. He was thrilled when almost 300,000 young people answered his call.
In 1985, the United Nations named it the International Year of Youth. St. John Paul II asked young people from all over the world to visit Rome and the Vatican again. In the letter he sent to young people around the world, called Dilecti Amici, which means “Dear Friends,” he talked about how important it is to be young.
In Dilecti Amici, St. Pope John Paul II wrote that the role of youth goes beyond individuals and generations and is part of humanity as a whole: “You young people are the ones who embody this youth: you are the youth of nations and societies, the youth of every family, and all humanity; you are also the youth of the Church.”
In December 1985, just a few months after finishing Dilecti Amici, Pope John Paul II made December 12 World Youth Day. He picked the date of Palm Sunday, 1986. He picked this date because it was the first time “the children of Jerusalem” saw Jesus after his forty-day fast in the desert.
Since the first International World Youth Day, fifteen events have been held around the world, and millions of young Catholics have taken part. The fair is held every two or three years. In the “off” years, there are smaller events in Rome—the vision of the Saint. Pope John Paul II had a long-lasting effect on the spiritual growth and unity of Catholic youth around the world.
World Youth Day 2023 Theme
The Gospel of Luke is where the idea of World Youth Day 2023 comes from. The event began when Gabriel, the angel, told Mary she would have God’s Son. This is often called the Annunciation. When Mary found out about this, she went to see her cousin Elizabeth. This event is known as the Visitation. Pope Francis thought about Mary’s answer and how she emphasized her complete trust in God. He then turned to Elizabeth and told her to move out into the world of life and movement, even though her situation was very serious.
The Pope said, “Mary could have thought about herself and her fears and worries about her new condition.” Instead, she gave God full control of her life. It was Elizabeth that she thought about. She got up and went out into the world of living and moving.
It was Mary’s spirit as a traveler and a beacon of hope that she didn’t think twice about going on her trip. So, the phrase “Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk 1:39) from the Gospel of Luke is what the theme of 2023 World Youth Day is based on. Mary’s actions show that she is going outward and doing what God wants her to do by focusing on meeting her cousin Elizabeth.
With all of the bad things going on in the world right now, like war and the pandemic, Mary is a beacon of hope for everyone. Pope Francis talks about Mary’s way of connecting and taking part. He says that he hopes and believes that the experience of young people in Lisbon in August will be a new beginning for everyone, not just the young people there.
When is World Youth Day?
There are events all over the world for World Youth Day, which began on Palm Sunday, 1986. It is usually held in the summer, but this is only sometimes the case. From August 1 to August 6, 2023, there will be World Youth Day.
The Vatican chose to move the 2023 World Youth Day event in Lisbon, which was supposed to happen in 2022, because of the problems caused by the COVID-19 epidemic.
The times and place of the World Youth Day that will happen after the 2023 event in Lisbon have yet to be set. Still, the archbishop of Seoul, South Korea, said that the city would rather host World Youth Day in 2027.
What is the message of World Youth Day 2023?
Dear young people, do not be afraid to share with others the hope and joy of the risen Christ! Nurture the spark that has been kindled in you, but at the same time share it. You will come to realize that it grows by being given away!
May you have the strength to share the joy and hope that the risen Christ has brought you. Take care of the fire that’s been lit inside you, and feel free to share it with others. You’ll notice that its essence gets stronger when you share it. Our Christian hope is for everyone, not just to make us feel better. Be there for your friends who seem happy on the outside but are really sad because they have lost hope. Fight the urge to be unique and the apathy that comes with it. Keep yourself available as if you were ways for Jesus’ hope to reach every part of your life.
“Jesus is alive!” He gives us hope and, wonderfully, makes the world younger!” Jesus Lives, page 1). I told you these things during the Synod on Young People, which was about five years ago. If you are in youth ministry, you should read the 2018 Final Document and the Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit. Now is the time to look at what’s going on and work together to make that amazing Synod a reality.
Let’s give our whole lives to Mary, who is the Mother of Hope. She tells us how to share Jesus with others and keep Him in our hearts as a source of happiness and hope. Friends have fun on every part of your trip! I pray for you and send my blessings your way. In addition, I really want you to pray for me.
November 9, 2023, is the feast day of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome to Saint John Lateran.
What is the age limit for World Youth Day?
16 to 35
How old do I have to be to attend World Youth Day? World Youth Day is a pilgrimage experience targeted to those ages 16 to 35. We especially encourage young adults in their 20s and early 30s to attend the international World Youth Day events.
Pilgrims must be at least 16 years old at the time of the trek. Minors under the age of eighteen who are enrolled in high school must be accompanied by a guardian. Young adults are accorded a unique invitation.
While the term “youth” is often linked with adolescents in the United States, it is more commonly used to denote persons in their twenties or college years outside of the country. The age range for World Youth Day (WYD) is 18 to 35 worldwide.
Who started World Youth Day?
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II was inspired to establish World Youth Day in 1986 by the church’s Youth Jubilee (1984), a special meeting between the pope and young Catholics held at the conclusion of the 1983–84 Year of Jubilee, and by the United Nations International Youth Year (1985).
World Youth Day is a spiritual development and religious teaching program for young people in the Roman Catholic Church. In 1986, Pope John Paul II supplied the impetus for the organization’s formation. The Church’s Youth Jubilee tremendously moved the Pope in 1984, a one-of-a-kind gathering that completed the 1983-84 Year of Jubilee and brought together young Catholics. Furthermore, the United Nations International Youth Year in 1985 influenced the World Youth Day concept.
World Youth Day was founded on Palm Sunday in Rome with the goal of assuring young Catholics of their ability to carry on the Church’s traditions, spirituality, and worldwide mission.
Since 1987, every diocese has observed World Youth Day on Palm Sunday. It is occasionally transformed into an international pilgrimage to a global city with a weeklong itinerary of spiritual events that include public rituals (such as mass Stations of the Cross reenactment) and performing arts. The first activity in the program is the “Journey of the Cross and Icon,” in which young pilgrims carry a wooden cross and an image of the Virgin Mary from Rome to the celebration spot. The festivities conclude in a Sunday mass led by Pope Francis, which inspired both of these gifts, which were presented by John Paul II “to the youth of the world.”
What country is not at World Youth Day 2023?
As a small country of 10 million inhabitants, Portugal will welcome pilgrims from every country around the world for WYD, except for one: the Maldives. The United States is the country with the largest number of participants from outside Europe: More than 27,000 Americans will cross the Atlantic for the five-day event.
After four years of anticipation, which was extended by a year due to the pandemic, and with concerns about the Pope’s health potentially leading to further delays, World Youth Day (WYD) 2023 is set to take place in Lisbon, Portugal, from August 1 to August 6, 2023. This event promises to be unique in a number of ways.
Portugal, Europe’s westernmost country with the oldest borders, has never suffered WYD. It is significant since this will be Pope Francis’s second visit to Portugal; during his previous visit in 2017, he commemorated the centennial of the apparitions at Fátima, one of the world’s most renowned Catholic pilgrimage locations. With his impending visit, this relationship will enter a new phase.
Except for the Maldives, Portugal, a country of ten million people, is preparing to welcome pilgrims from all around the world for World Youth Day. The United States is the country with the most participants from outside of Europe, with about 27,000 Americans set to cross the Atlantic for the five-day event.
Who Organises World Youth Day?
The Catholic Church
International WYDs
While these events are organized by the clergy and laity of the Catholic Church, youth of all faiths are invited to attend and encounter Christ, making this gathering truly universal.
World Youth Day (WYD) welcomes all young people who want to take part in a joyful, peer-led gathering centered on Jesus Christ. It provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness directly the universality of the Catholic Church and to collectively communicate the optimism of countless young people who have dedicated their lives to following Christ and His Church.
WYD provides a unique opportunity to enhance one’s faith and form a closer relationship with Christ via prayer and the sacraments. Hundreds of thousands of young people with similar aspirations and interests gather for this event, embarking on a shared path of spiritual development and group celebration.
Youth Day is a significant occasion for celebrating young people’s accomplishments and raising awareness of the issues they confront. Beyond being a moment for celebration, it provides an important opportunity to commit to addressing these concerns and making efforts to equip young people with the information and abilities they need to contribute to a sustainable future.