VATICAN - At the Angelus prayer the Youth Day Cross and Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary change hands from Cologne Germany to Sydney Australia: “Most Holy Mary was the first ‘believer’ who carried her own cross like her Son and then lived with him the joy of his resurrection”

Vatican City (Fides Service) -Palm Sunday Mass presided by Pope Benedict XVI in St Peter’s Square closed with the official hand-over of the Youth Day Cross and icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary from young Catholics of Cologne, Germany to young Catholics of Sydney, Australia the city chosen to host 23rd World Youth Day in July 2008. Before the handing over ceremony and the Angelus prayer the Pope said “this is the Cross which beloved John Paul II entrusted to young people in 1984 asking them to carry it along the roads of the world as a sign of Christ’s love for all humanity… The handing over of the cross after each World Youth Day has become a "tradition", in the real sense of the Latin word traditio, a highly symbolic act to be lived with deep faith and commitment to undertake a path of conversion and follow Jesus. We are taught this faith by Most Holy Mary the first ‘believer’ who carried her own cross like her Son and then lived with him the joy of his resurrection”.
This is why, Pope Benedict XVI explained, the Cross is accompanied by an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary “Salus Populi Romani” venerated in the Basilica of St Mary Major. “The Cross and the Marian icon of World Youth Day - the Pope announced - will now visit some African countries to show that Christ and his Mother are close to the peoples of that continent so sorely tried by suffering and then tour in February next year several regions of Oceania, followed by the dioceses of Australia and on to Sydney in July 2008. This spiritual journey will involve the entire Christian community, young people in particular”.
In various languages the Pope greeted young people from different countries recalling the importance of the Cross and he greeted Cardinal Joachim Meisner Archbishop of Cologne and Cardinal George Pell Archbishop of Sydney, present in St Peter’s Square. Then the Pope asked everyone to pray that “the Cross and Icon may bring peace and reconciliation to individuals and peoples” invoking the Blessed Virgin Mary’s intercession that the pilgrimage, “may be rich in fruit”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 10/4/2006 - righe 27, parole 384)