WYD 2005 - What are World Youth Days?

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Its History and Mission

World Youth Days (WYD) are a celebration of faith by younth who are invited by Pope John Paul II to meet in a specific location. Young people from 16 to 30 years of age from an ever-increasing number of nations (in 2000, more than 160 nations were represented in Toronto) come together, united with the Pope, listening to the Word of God, assisting at celebrations and participating in a festival of joy.

Pope John Paul II has been and continues to be the initiator and driving force behind World Youth Day.  Two years ago while in Toronto, he invited the youth of the world to gather in Cologne for the next World Youth Day.  It is his wish, God-willing, to be personally present at World Youth Day 2005.

A little history...

The idea of WYD came from Pope John Paul II himself. In 1983-84 the Catholic Church celebrated a Holy Year in remembrance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ 1950 years earlier. The Pope invited young people from all over the world to celebrate Palm Sunday in Rome with him. And the response was enthusiastic!

Pope John Paul II was so impressed by the success of the gathering that he invited young people back again in 1985, which had been proclaimed by the United Nations as “International Youth Year”, to again celebrate Palm Sunday with him in Rome again.

Inspired by this event, the Pope announced in December 1985 there would be an annual meeting of young people. As well, every second year, the meeting would be held in different locations around the world. In between these gatherings, the Pope invites youth to celebrate WYD in their dioceses on Palm Passion Sunday every year. Individual World Youth Days are noted numerically, whether they are international or diocesan. The first World Youth Day was in 1986 and WYD in Cologne will be the XX World Youth Day. As was the case in France, Italy and Canada, dioceses in the host country welcome the youth of the world for five days (11 – 15 August 2005, in Germany’s case), allowing pilgrims the opportunity to learn about the culture and the people of the host country.

So far, there have been eight international World Youth Days:
·    1987 Buenos Aires (Argentina)
·    1989 Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
·    1991 Czestochowa (Poland)
·    1993 Denver (United States)
·    1995 Manila (Philippines)
·    1997 Paris (France)
·    2000 Rome (Italy)
·    2002 Toronto (Canada)

(Documents taken from the official WYD 2005 website)

Come to Cologne in 2005!