Resumo da JMJ2011

JMJ2011 - Vigília com o Santo Padre (clicar para ver video)

WYD, a celebration of faith with record numbers

Up until now, 420 thousand people have signed up to a gathering that will bring more than one million youngsters to Madrid

 

The World Youth Day in Madrid promises to beat all records. This is partly thanks to an organisation that has taken care of every single detail. There will be more than one million Catholics from five continents attending the gathering, though this number could increase. A huge celebration that will require a massive effort and will involve big figures.

 

Up until now, 420 thousand pilgrims have signed up, a number that exceeds all previous WYD celebrations. Traditionally, those registered only represent a third of participants.

 

The 10 most represented countries are: Italy (86.287), Spain (82.119), France (49.730), the US (26.282), Germany (15.639), Brasil (13.472), Poland (12.536), Portugal (11.966), Mexico (7.917) and Argentina (6.484). At least 131.961 pilgrims from the latter few countries are currently taking part in the activities organised by all Spanish dioceses, in preparation for WYD (which will begin on 16 August).

 

Organisers have guaranteed 300 thousand places and 500 common spaces to accommodate visitors (between schools and sports centres). To ensure all pilgrims are well fed, 4 thousand restaurants in Madrid will be offering more than 2 million "pilgrim menus"; during the last two days of the WYD (20 and 21 August), 500 thousand meals will be prepared, including, amongst other things, 11 and a half tons of bananas.

 

Thirty thousand recruited volunteers will be at the service of this human mass. Amongst them, there will also be individuals responsible for distributing 7 tons of rosaries to pilgrims (made in Ecuador and included in the pilgrim rucksack, together with a cap, a catechism for youngsters – YouCat – and other accessories).

 

When there aren't collective religious activities going on, youngsters will be able to choose from the 295 cultural activities that will be taking place across the Spanish capital. These will include 104 music concerts, 6 dance performances, 50 plays, 29 exhibitions, 11 conferences or testimonials. The companies will be representing 50 countries.

 

On 17 August there will be "a cinema day", during which 20 films or documentaries will be shown. There will also be 6 presentations, 10 meetings with actors, directors and producers and 2 short film festivals, not to mention world previews of the two films "God's gardener" and "The Cristiada."

 

Three catechism sessions will take place in 250 venues (on 17, 18 and 19 August). Of these, 74 will be in Spanish, 47 in Italian, 43 in French, 26 in English and 15 in Portuguese.

 

When Benedict XVI arrives at Barajas airport on Thursday 18 August, 50 children dressed as Swiss guards will be there to greet him. That evening, 50 youngsters (10 from each continent) will cross the Puerta de Alcalá on foot, accompanied by the Pope, and immediately after this, 6 Spanish horses will put on a show to welcome the Pope.

 

The Bishop of Rome along with 7 thousand seminarians will meet at the Almudena Cathedral; another meeting with 1.650 young nuns and 1000 university professionals will also be held in the El Escorial Palace. 

 

The WYD's main activities will be taking place at the Cuatro Vientos airport on the outskirts of Madrid: a large open space the size of 48 football fields. Organisers have also considered using another 50 hectares of land in case the 1.2 million quota was reached.

 

On the evening of 20 August a big vigil will be held at the airport. The site chosen, has 8 places reserved for heath care services, 4.000 chemical toilets, 2.000 water taps, 20.000 precincts, 63 electricity posts, 20 big screens and 17 chapels, where the Eucharist can be worshipped even at night.

 

The event as a whole will conclude with a final WYD mass, presided by Benedict XVI on the morning of Sunday 21 August. There will be 60 cardinals, 800 bishops and 14.000 priests celebrating alongside the Pope. 5.000 journalists will be covering the event. The total cost of the WYD is estimated at between 55 and 62 million Euros.

ANDRÉS BELTRAMO ÁLVAREZ