John Paul II named the patron for World Youth Day 2011

(January 17, 2011) Pope John Paul II, who initiated the Catholic Church’s World Youth Days, has been declared a patron of the international celebration of the World Youth Day this year in Madrid, Spain. The announcement was made by the Auxiliary Bishop César Franco of Madrid, after hearing the news of the upcoming beatification of the Polish Pope on May 1. John Paul II joins the list of patrons for Madrid 2011, among them St. Teresa of Avila, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Francis Xavier and St. Juan de la Cruz, which makes him the first non-Spanish patron for the event, scheduled from August 16-21. Since the first World Youth Day in Rome, John Paul II chaired over nine other international meetings of young people from around the world. Buenos Aires (Argentina), Santiago de Compostela (Spain), Czestochowa (Poland), Denver (US), Manila (Philippines), Paris (France), Rome (Italy) and Toronto (Canada) all served as hosts to Pope John Paul II.