Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Cologne (Fides Service) - The 20th World Youth Day organised by the Catholic Church to be held in Cologne Germany 11 - 21 August will have a strong ecumenical dimension and include various ecumenical activities. On 17 August at 7.30pm ecumenical services for young people will be held in Cologne, Bonn and Dusseldorf. The World Youth Day Spirituality Centre in Cologne will host ecumenical events 16-19 August with the participation of the Taizé Community, Chemin Neuf Community and St. Egidio Community. Moreover Lutheran and Orthodox artistes will perform at the traditional Youth Festival which is always part of WYD main celebrations. The ACK, Work Group of Christian Churches in Germany, is organising roundtable discussions and meetings on Christian identity and ecumenism and the future. Participants will include theology students of various religious traditions.
Moreover Catholic, Lutheran and Orthodox families will be hosting the young participants at WYD; Lutheran community centres will open to accommodate young participants and several Lutheran churches will host catechism sessions as part of the WYD Youth Festival.
Leading up to the main event during the “Days of Encounter in German Dioceses”, 11 to 15 August, young people from all over the world will experience Germany’s tradition of ecumenical collaboration among different Christian communities. In particular the Day of Social Commitment on 12 August will be an opportunity for collaboration among organisations of different Christian confessions.
Other ecumenical initiatives in the framework of World Youth Day include the pilgrimage with the Youth Day Cross which will take young people on foot from Dresden to Cologne 8-16 August along part of a new “Ecumenical Way” recently opened . (MS) (Agenzia Fides 11/6/2005 - 23 righe, 294 parole)
