By Mike Umoh
As preparations for 2023 World Youth Day (WYD) in Portugal gathers momentum, the Holy Father, Pope Francis has disclosed his resolve to fully identify with all the young people who will be attending the triennial youth assembly in Lisbon from the different parts of the world.
According to a release from the Holy See Press Office on Tuesday, June 6, Pope Francis who has presided over four World Youth Days in his pontificate, will be departing Rome’s Fiumicino airport by 7.50 am on Wednesday August 2nd and hopes to arrive at 10 am at the Figo Maduro air base in Lisbon.
In a video message released earlier this month, Pope Francis expressed his Joy and satisfaction over the desire of young people from all over the world to assemble at the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, later this year for the global celebration.
With the theme for this year’s WYD from Luke’s Gospel: “Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk 1:39), opens the account of the visitation, when Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth following the Angel’s announcement to the Blessed Mother that she would be the mother of the Son of God.
This 37th World Youth Day in Lisbon which was originally scheduled to take place in the Portuguese capital in 2022, but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be hosting over 400,000 young people from all over the world from 1 to 6 August 2023.
The World Youth Day (WYD) which is an event for young people organized by the Catholic Church, was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985. Its concept has been influenced by the Light-Life Movement that has existed in Poland since the 1960s, where during summer, Catholic young adults gather for over 13 days in camp.
