World Youth Day
History
The initially planned as a one-time event event sparked so much enthusiasm that Pope John Paul II, the " Year of Youth " of the United Nations in 1985 took occasion to explain to the World Youth Day to the fixed base. Since then this place every year: every 2 to 3 years as an international World Youth Day, in the intervening years as a regional World Youth Days in the individual dioceses. As one of the founders considered the then President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, who prepared the meeting on Palm Sunday 1984 and 1985. In the Holy Year 1975 already found once on Palm Sunday a youth meeting with Pope Paul VI. instead, but this was mitgefeiert of less than 20,000 subscribers.
The Pope published before each World Youth Day a message to the young people, in which he interprets the motto among others. This is the motto of the World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, for example, was " Venimus adorare eum (Mt 2,2 EU )" ( We have come to worship Him ). Before each "big" World Youth Day the World Youth Day Cross travels through the neighboring countries and the country where the youth meeting takes place. Since 2003, accompanied by Pope John Paul II, the Marian icon with the theme " Salus Populi Romani " from the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome the cross.
Timing and content
Each international World Youth Day is preceded by days of meeting. These days are held throughout the host country and provide the arriving young people insight into the everyday life and culture of the host country.
After the days of meeting all pilgrims traveling to the city, which will take place in the actual World Youth Day. The week-long event begins Monday with one or more opening worship. On the following days, catechesis, church services, concerts, debates, workshops, musicals and many other religious and cultural events are offered. These are the questions and concerns of young people meet and have its content is the theme of World Youth Day.
The next major event is the greeting of the Pope on Thursday. On Friday, followed by a Way of the Cross led by the Pope through the city. For evening prayers on Saturday evening, called Vigil, and for the final Mass on Sunday, the participants meet at a central square where they spend the night. Celebrated the closing Mass of the Pope who promulgated this also the location of the next international World Youth Day.
International World Youth Days
Previously there were twelve international World Youth Days. They are numbered consecutively every year since 1986, the diocesan World Youth Days ( Rome on Palm Sunday) are counted. The first was held in 1986 in Rome. He is referred to as the first international World Youth Day, as the World Youth Day meeting in 1984 on the "Holy Year of the Redemption " and 1985 the " Year of Youth " of the UN are due. The Youth Days in 1984 and 2000, in Rome took place in Holy Years. With two predecessors and two official World Youth Day 1986 and 2000 so far found most of World Youth Day held in Rome. The closing Mass of World Youth Day 1995 in Manila applies with over 4 million subscribers as one of the largest gatherings of human history.
- International youth meeting on the occasion of the Holy Year of the Redemption in 1983
- Pope John Paul II presented the youth of the world, the World Youth Day Cross
- International youth meeting on the year of the youth of the United Nations
- On December 20, Pope John Paul II announces the introduction of the World Youth Days in