Vatican
City, 24 July 2013 (VIS) – Yesterday afternoon more than half a
million young people participated in the opening Mass of the 28th
World Youth Day, celebrated by the archbishop of St. Sebastian of Rio
de Janeiro, Msgr. Orani Joao Tempesta, on the beach at Copacabana. At
dusk, the large stage dominated by a blue cross was lit up with the
colours of the Brazilian flag. Silence greeted the arrival of the
Cross and the image of the Virgin of World Youth Day, carried in
procession by young people from the five continents.
Before
Mass there were prayers for the young unemployed, for the victims of
a nightclub fire in Brazil, for the street children murdered at La
Candelaria church, and for the young French woman who died in a bus
accident in French Guiana while preparing to travel to Rio to
participate in World Youth Day.
As
is customary, the Pope did not participate in the opening ceremony of
World Youth Day, but the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr.
Federico Lombardi S.J., confirmed that he watched the event on
television and was impressed by level of participation in the event.
In
his homily, Archbishop Tempesta returned to the theme of World Youth
Day: “Go and make disciples of all nations”, inviting the young
to be missionaries: “This week Rio has become the centre of the
Church, its heart both youthful and vibrant”, he said. “You have
come from all over the world to share together in the faith and the
joy of being disciples and missionaries in all nations. Everywhere,
youthful enthusiasm shows in the faces of young Christians, who wish
to unite the testimony of an authentic and Christian life with the
social dimension of the Gospel. … We are called to be agents for a
new world. I am sure that you will do this in your cities and
countries. The world needs young people like you”.
With
regard to the Pope's schedule over the coming days, Fr. Lombardi
confirmed that, due to bad weather conditions, the Pope will travel
by aeroplane rather than helicopter to the shrine at Aparecida, at
least for most of the journey. He will also meet with a group of
young Argentines in the cathedral of Rio de Janeiro.
Bad
weather also prevented Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone
S.D.B. from presenting the medal commemorating World Youth Day at the
feet of Christ the Redeemer at Corcovado, as had been planned.
Instead the event took place at the archbishop's Sumare residence.
The medal, struck in metal by the Braziian mint, depicts a smiling
Pope Francis, and the cross of the Cathedral of St. Sebastian of Rio
de Janeiro and the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida. Cardinal
Bertone said, “It shows the Pope's closeness to his people and the
simplicity of his gestures, which have won over the world”.
In
addition, from 24 to 26 July, 250 bishops from all five continents
will deepen the themes of World Youth Day in three mornings of
catechesis on the following themes: “thirst for hope, thirst for
God” (Wednesday 24 July), “being a disciple of Christ”
(Thursday 25) and on “being a missionary: now go!” (Friday 26).
The catechesis sessions will take place in 300 distinct locations,
from Copacabana and the metropolitan area to the favelas, and in
churches, gyms, sports camps and social centres. The majority of the
sessions will be held in Portuguese (133), but there will also be 50
in Spanish, 25 in English, 15 in Italian and French, 8 in German and
5 in Polish. In total, the catechesis will be held in 20 different
languages, including Arabic, Croatian, Danish, Slovenian, Greek,
Czech and Russian.
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