Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Madrid (Fides Service) - The Commission for Lay Apostolate of the Spanish Bishops Conference estimates that about 50,000 young people will travel from Spain to Cologne in Germany to take part in the 20th World Youth day events 11-21 August with Pope Benedict XVI. The Conference’s Youth Delegate Victor Cortizo said the 30,000 young people who applied in the early months have been joined by another 10,000 and the final number is expected to be around 50,000 with last minute applications and those who travel on their own. Already 47 Spanish Bishops have signed up for the event including Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Valera Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Carlos Amigo Vallejo Archbishop of Seville and Bishop Ricardo Blázquez of Bilbao President of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference.
Young participants in the different dioceces are preparing for the event with reflection on spiritual and missionary themes and figures including Blessed Rafael Arnaiz Barón and the values of society today. As part of daily WYD catechesis in different langauges for the thousands of young participants in Cologne, 32 conferences will be in Spanish, 18 of them prepared and delivered by Bishops from Spain. In Bonn on 19 August all the young WYD participants and all the Bishops from Spain will gather at the city’s Sport Park Nord.
From 15 August the offical web site of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference will have a weblog or WYD pilgrim’s diary with impressions and experience of the WYD event. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 20/7/2005 - Righe 19, Parole 256)
