Madrid Youth Prepare to Receive Cross

(February 19, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI will entrust the World Youth Day cross to a group of pilgrims from Madrid, the hosts of the next youth event to be held in 2011. Following tradition, the Spanish youth will receive the cross from the Pope on Palm Sunday during Mass in St. Peter's Square. The archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela, has organized the pilgrimage to Rome for those youth who "feel called to commit themselves in preparing" the 2011 event. The pilgrimage for the Spanish youth will include Masses in Rome and a penance service to receive the sacrament of confession. The cross travels around the host nation prior to a World Youth Day, at the centre of a series of events to prepare the youth celebration. Pope Benedict had made the official announcement of the World youth Day in Madrid when he was attending the programme in Australia.