What is World Youth Day?
score:7
I asked the same question to the Priest who lead our (it was my wife and my honeymoon) pilgrimage for the 2005 World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany.
His answer was, It's like a renaissance festival for young(ish) Catholics.
And, since I've never been to a renaissance festival, but I have been to a World Yotuth Day, I think I agree.
Of the few that I've been keen on following up on, in Germany, Australia and Spain, it seems like a major world youth day event takes place every 3rd summer. It's a two and a half week shindig with parishes from all over the host country taking in pilgrims.
The first half is the Days in the Diocese where pilgrims stay with host families from all over the country and get to know what things are like on a parish level (this was awesome in Germany, I love you Osnabrück and your life-sized foosball game and endless deserts)
The second half is when everyone moves in closer to the epicenter and the major things start happening. There is daily Catechesis (with Bishops and Cardinals), Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession as well as rock and folk Concerts, gymnastics and lots of juggling.
Mostly it's about the anticipation of the one big event where everyone comes together for vespers and mass with the Pope and that is awesome. There's really nothing like camping out with a million other Catholics from all over the world. Maybe it was just because it was my honeymoon, but it was the best experience of my life!
Upvote:4
There's a website dedicated to World Youth Day with an about page that explains it as thus:
World Youth Day (WYD) is a worldwide encounter with the Pope which is typically celebrated every three years in a different country. The most recent WYD was celebrated in Madrid from August 16th to 21st, 2011, and the next WYD will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from July 23rd to 28th, 2012.
WYD is open to all young people who want to take part in a festive encounter with their contemporaries centered on Jesus Christ. This event is an opportunity to experience in first person the universality of the Church; to share with the whole world the hope of many young people who want to commit themselves to Christ and others. World Youth Day is a unique way to deepen your faith and grow closer to Christ, by means of prayer and the sacraments, together with thousands of other young people who share your interests and ambitions.
From that description, it doesn't sound much different in concept than similar Protestant "revival" events that are designed to educate, enlighten, encourage, and enlist youth to grow closer to God, to make commitments, and to encourage a lifetime of service to God and the Faith.
The main difference (other than it being Catholic and not Protestant) is that most Protestant denominations don't have the resources, structure, and organization to make one mega-event. The scope of it is far beyond what most Protestant denominations could dream of.
Other than those factors, it appears that the World Youth Day is remarkably similar to the smaller Protestant events. There is teaching, readings from Scripture (and Catechism), etc. All intended to encourage a closer relationship with God and the Church.
More post
- 📝 Why do most Catholic Churches not say the Nicene Creed anymore and instead say the Apostle's Creed?
- 📝 Why does the Catholic Church prefer burials over cremation?
- 📝 How do Unitarians interpret John 1:1?
- 📝 According to Catholicism, did the Temptation(s) of Jesus take place on the same day?
- 📝 What is considered "The Word of the Lord" in the Episcopal Liturgy
- 📝 Why is Jesus called the Truth?
- 📝 What Does "Not My will but yours be done" mean?
- 📝 Who was the 12th Apostle - Matthias or Paul?
- 📝 How did Moses write the events which happened ~2000 years before him?
- 📝 What should a priest who commits a mortal sin just before Holy Mass do, if confession is not available?
- 📝 Was Matthew's inclusion of the story of the Magi be a form of midrash influenced by events in 66 A.D.?
- 📝 Are there any references to "four canonical Gospels" prior to 100 AD?
- 📝 Is the age of the earth in the Bible?
- 📝 Is the Doctrine of Resurrection of the Dead expressed in Pentateuch?
- 📝 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 - what does this passage mean?
- 📝 How is Hal Lindsey regarded in the Christian faith?
- 📝 Is it accurate to call Abraham a Jew?
- 📝 What is the significance of colour purple in the robe that Jesus was made to wear?
- 📝 What is the basis for the claim that Judaism is a Christian Heresy?
- 📝 Did the 1st Century Church Accept the Deuterocanonical books?
- 📝 What do 1st century extra-biblical sources say about hell?
- 📝 Was the darkness that came during Jesus's death a solar eclipse?
- 📝 Prayer and accepting God's will in Catholicism
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis that God's sacrifice is sufficient for all of our sins (past included)?
- 📝 Origin of La Madonna Del Gatto
- 📝 Does the Orthodox Church accept the Athanasian Creed?
- 📝 According to Calvinists, how do Job's works correspond to his salvation?
- 📝 What Bible passage contains Satan and God where God rebukes Satan?
- 📝 Does the Pope have the authority to baptize aliens (martians)?
- 📝 Why does bible say we all are sinners?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What is World Youth Day?
- 📝 Papal Blessing at World Youth Day 2016
- 📝 What are the main differences between 7th Day Adventists and Catholic/Protestant churches?
- 📝 At what time of day was Jesus crucified?
- 📝 What specific scholarship is there behind the New World Translation?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for a one world religion in the end times?
- 📝 What does Paul's "we will judge the world and the angels" mean?
- 📝 What was the light of the first day of creation?
- 📝 What is the justification for applying God's promises to Israel to modern day Christians?
- 📝 What is the name of the Eternal Father worshipped by Latter Day Saints?
- 📝 What was the impetus for restoring the consecration of virgins for women living in the world in the 20th Century?
- 📝 What do Latter Day Saints believe happens to persons who have rejected Christ Jesus?
- 📝 What exactly did Yahshua/Jesus do during his 40 day fast after being baptized?
- 📝 What do Christians do on a Fasting day besides worshipping?
- 📝 What was the population of the world at the time of the flood?
- 📝 What do Seventh Day Adventists believe about baptism?
- 📝 What are the main differences between the Seventh Day Adventist church and the Worldwide Church of God?
- 📝 What is the origin of the belief that God will not destroy the world but use the current one?
- 📝 What Christianity thinks about the God of present day Judaism?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for Christians being instructed to tithe (10%) of their income to the modern day 'church'?
- 📝 What date to place the patronal feast day of St. Mary’s Church?
- 📝 What are Christians trusting God about, when in fallen world circumstance?
- 📝 What reason did a group of Christians have that the world would end on Oct 7, 2015?
- 📝 How can the translators of the New World Translation say that their version is near what was originally written?
- 📝 If God created the sun and the moon on the fourth day what had been lighting the earth for three days?
- 📝 What is the origin and basis of the idea of spending an hour each day in prayer?
- 📝 How do we know what day of the week Jesus died?
- 📝 On what day of the week did Thomas first meet the resurrected Christ?
- 📝 What Protestant/Evangelical tradition is represented in the Casting Crowns song "What the World Needs"?
- 📝 What do we know about the Council of Nicaea's ban of celebrating the Lord's Supper on the day before Passover?