World Youth Days, 2011 are now over. By all reports they were a resounding success. The World Youth Day Cross has been handed on to Rio de Janeiro for the next World Youth Day in 2013. Some of the highlights of this World Youth Day were: the opening Mass, confessions, the Stations of the Cross, the Vigil, and the Final Mass.
Arrival of Pope Benedict
The Pope arrived on August 18 at Madrid-Barajas Airport where King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia, Cardinal Antonio Rouco Varela, the archbishop of Madrid and the president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, and Spanish President José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero welcomed him to Spain.
The Pope spoke to the crowds in Spanish, which he speaks fluently. "Why has this multitude of young people come to Madrid?" the Holy Father asked. "While they themselves should give the reply, it may be supposed that they wish to hear the word of God, as the motto for this World Youth Day proposed to them, in such a way that, rooted and built upon Christ, they may manifest the strength of their faith .... They see the prevailing superficiality, consumerism and hedonism, the widespread banalization of sexuality, the lack of solidarity, the corruption. They know that, without God, it would be hard to confront these challenges and to be truly happy, and thus [are] pouring out their enthusiasm in the attainment of an authentic life." (quotation from Zenit News Service, Aug 18, 2011)
Catechesis and Confessions
During the day there were many things to keep young pilgrims occupied. They could attend sessions of catechesis, usually led by one of the bishops, in their own language. The pilgrims then often made their way to Retiro Park to take part in the Celebration of Forgiveness. There, 200 confessionals were set up and young people lined up to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Confession). On the third day (Aug 21) Pope Benedict heard the confessions of four of the young people who were volunteers at WYD: two from France, one from Switzerland, and one from Spain. They were chosen with one requirement - that they speak one of the languages that the Holy Father speaks best (German, French and Spanish).
The Way of the Cross
One of the regular events at World Youth Days has been the Way of the Cross, the devotion usually held in parishes worldwide during Lent. The Way of the Cross in Madrid was held on the Paseo de Recoletos on August 19th and used ‘pasos’ or statues from twelve cities in Spain that are used during Spanish Holy Week processions. Each of the statues represented a Station of the Cross and they showcased the wonderful art that is present in the history of Catholic Spain. At the Stations there were representatives from the parish where the pasos are originally kept.
The Vigil
The Vigil, held on the evening of August 22, was interrupted by a violent electrical storm. During the daytime, the heat had been extreme (over 30° C) and large events were held in the cooler evenings. However, after the Vigil had begun, a sudden wind with rain and lightning prevented the Pope from giving his homily. Instead, he encouraged the young people to never be overcome by adversity and said, “Your faith is stronger than the rain”. Some may have remembered stages that have recently collapsed during concerts in the US, Belgium and Canada and wondered if it could happen here. But fortunately, the rain suddenly stopped during the Vigil.
During the time of prayer and Eucharistic devotion over 1 million young people became so silent a pin could have been heard to drop. The monstrance, the largest in the world, used during the Vigil is from the Cathedral in Toledo and is 3 meters tall. A monstrance is the vessel used to hold the Eucharistic Host which Catholics believe is the Body of Christ.
The Final Mass
The final Mass was also held at the Cuatro Vientos (four winds) Airforce Base where most of the pilgrims had spent the night. In fact, those who arrived the next morning were not allowed into the central area, already full with over a million people. The area was meant to hold only 750,000 people and this meant that many were not able to attend this final event. Screens had been placed so that those too far away to see the altar could see the Mass on the screens. Masses were also held in stadia across Madrid for the overflow of pilgrims and were celebrated by one of the bishops. In all, one thousand bishops from many countries attended WYD and this number included those from the Orthodox Church who had been invited. There were also over 9,000 priests at World Youth Day.
King Juan Carlos I, Queen Sofia and other members of the Royal Family attended the final Mass.
At the end of the Mass, the World Youth Day Cross was handed over to pilgrims from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil confirming that the next WYD will be held in that city in 2013. As expected, the Brazilian pilgrims demonstrated their pleasure with the usual Latin enthusiasm!
The Legacy
The lasting results of World Youth Day will extend into the future. Some of the stories of conversions and calls to Religious life and the priesthood we will never hear. Some friendships amongst the pilgrims will last for many years, others will be forgotten. As Pope Benedict commented at the beginning of WYD, some seed will fall on good ground and some will not. Jesus said this would happen with the preaching of His Word. One thing that we do know: there will be fruit; good and lasting fruit.
Sources
Salt and Light Television, WYD Central website, accessed August 21, 2011
Zenit News Service http://www.zenit.org, accessed August 21, 22, 2011.
