SIX THOUSAND YOUNG PEOPLE BEAR WITNESS TO THEIR VOCATION

Vatican City, 01 July 2013 (VIS) – This morning in the Holy See Press Office a presentation was given for the “Great Event of the Year of Faith, a Day for seminarians, novices, and all those who have taken the path of vocation”. The participants were Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, Archbishop Jose Octavio Ruiz Arenas, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, and Msgr Graham Bell, under-secretary of the same Pontifical Council. The initiative is entitled “I trust in you”, to indicate the act by which the young may still find the strength and courage to consecrate themselves to the Lord and to the priestly or consecrated life as a sign of generosity to the Lord Who calls upon them to follow Him.

The event will begin on 4 July with a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Peter. It will depart from the gardens of Castel Sant'Angelo and continue along the entire length of Via della Conciliazione, concluding at St. Peter's Basilica where Cardinal Angelo Comastri will address those present.

The following day, 5 July, will be dedicated to catechesis in various languages, and will take place in designated churches throughout the historic centre of the capital. The day will conclude at Piazza del Campidoglio where there will be a celebration with various singers; two seminarians and a young Italian nun will relate their own experiences.

The morning of Saturday 6 July will be dedicated to the celebration of reconciliation and Eucharistic adoration. For the superiors accompanying the young seminarians and religious there will be the opportunity to reflect on matters of formation at the Lateran University. In the afternoon, in the Paul VI Hall, Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, will offer some thoughts prior to an encounter with Pope Francis, who will offer privileged testimony of his own vocation. Musical accompaniment will be provided by the Irish group “The Priests” and by the nun Glenda. Finally, there will be a Marian procession in the Vatican Gardens, concluding at St. Peter's Basilica with a final address from Cardinal J. Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life.

On the morning of Sunday 7 July, the Pope will celebrate Mass in St. Peter's Basilica followed by the Angelus.

It is hoped that some six thousand young people from 66 different countries will participate in the initiative; representatives, according to Archbishop Fisichella, of the “thousands and thousands of other young people who will be spiritually united with them in bearing witness to their vocation”.