WHAT IS WORLD YOUTH DAY???

In 1984, Pope John Paul II invited the young people of the world to gather on Palm Sunday at St Peter's Square, where he would celebrate Mass for them to mark the United Nation's Year for Young People. Whilst many senior Cardinals at the time doubted the success of such an invitation, the Pope's Mass attracted over 300,000 young people from around the world to Rome!

Following this success, Pope John Paul II invited young people to celebrate Mass with him on Palm Sunday in 1985 and again in 1986. In 1986, the concept of World Youth Day was established within the Catholic Church and have been hosted in many international cities including Buenos Aires (Argentina), Santiago de Compostello (Spain), Czestochowa (Poland), Denver (USA), Manila (Philippines), Paris (France), Toronto (Canada), Cologne (Germany) and Sydney (Australia) in 2008.

In fact the final Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II during the Manila World Youth Day attracted over 4 million people - making it the largest ever gathering of human beings at the one location!!! The 400,000 people that attended the Sydney World Youth Day Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at Randwick Racecourse is the largest gather of people in Australia - easily surpassing the crowds of the 2000 Olympic Games.

The International World Youth Days have grown to such a large event that a week of spiritual celebrations have been organised prior to the Papal Mass. These activities include an Opening Mass celebrated by the hosting bishop, daily catechesis, a youth festival, the Papal welcome, Stations of the Cross, a Vocations Expo and a Papal Vigil followed by a 'sleepout' before the Pope's Mass.

Since the Cologne World Youth Day, there has been a tradition of the military diocese of the hosting nation inviting and playing host to foreign military members from around the world. In 2008, the Catholic Diocese of the Australian Defence Force, supported by Joint Task Force 665, hosted over 200 "military pilgrims" from Canada, Columbia, France, Germany, Great Britain, New Zealand, the United States and of course Australians.

At the final Mass in Sydney, Pope Benedict XVI invited young people to gather again in Madrid, Spain, for the 2011 International World Youth Day. The French and Spanish militaries will be hosting ADF pilgrims for the event. ADF pilgrims will be accommodated at the Cuentros Vientos Air Force Base in Madrid - the same location where Pope Benedict XVI will be celebrating Mass for an estimated 2 million young people!