MORE than half a million pilgrims coming from various countries across the world packed Madrid’s Plaza de Cibeles as the celebrations of 26th World Youth Day officially opened with a Mass on August 16.
The archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela, presided the inaugural Mass, concelebrated by bishops and priests participating in the WYD, while Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Laity president Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko welcomed the delegates.
The pilgrims, hundreds of thousands of whom arrived a week earlier to participate in the Days in the Diocese (DID) events across Spain, are housed in various schools, parishes and public facilities in the city of Madrid.
Of the more than half a million delegates participating at the WYD celebrations in Madrid around 3,000 are Filipinos, according to www.madrid11.com, the official website of WYD 2011.
But the official delegation of the Philippines, registered under the name of ECY-Philippines of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Youth, has only 425 delegates under its care.
Other Filipino delegates attending the WYD are registered in the name of their respective groups outside of ECY-Philippines.
Reports also said that many Filipino youth living abroad who are attending the WYD, may have registered Philippines as their country of origin, which consequently has added to the number of delegates listed under Philippines.
WYD celebrations
In the capital, WYD pilgrims were given their official WYD backpack that contains the week’s schedule of activities, official ID, map of the city, a pilgrim’s guide, Bible, catechesis book “YouCat”, food stubs, transportation passes and some WYD memorabilia like WYD official beer, t-shirt, hat and fan.
Aside from the main WYD events that include catechesis sessions, welcoming the pope, and other spiritual exercises, the week-long celebration also offers WYD pilgrims the chance to participate in cultural programs that include watching plays, visit to museums and touring historical sights in Madrid.
The celebration will culminate with an overnight vigil with the Pope at Cuatro Vientos Aerodrome on August 20 and an early morning Mass on August 21.
Year of the youth
For the Filipino youth participating in the WYD celebrations, the event is profoundly meaningful as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Episcopal Commission on Youth and the proclamation of 2011 as the “CBCP Year of the Youth” by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
Bishop Nereo Odchimar, in a pastoral letter addressed to the young people lauded the ECY on the great progress it has made in youth ministry even as he acknowledged that there is still much to be done, especially in reaching out to those who are “still outside the reach of the Church.”
He urged for integral formation for those involved in youth ministry as well as to pursue programs that would address various issues related to spiritual, moral and social development.
Odchimar lauded the youth’s involvement in the various mission of the Church saying that through their God-given talents young people can make a difference in society and in the world.
He also appealed on various sectors in the Church and society to make this year of the youth significant to the young by providing them a “meaningful and fruitful” existence.
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