Pope looks forward to World Youth Day

(August 13.2011) "The Pope is very happy and very much looking forward to meeting a million young people next week," said a top papal spokesman, Friday, in a his final briefing before the event. Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., head of Vaticans Press Office admitted that it will obviously be a very demanding trip for Benedict XVI, because it is a four-day visit. But he knows from his previous World Youth Days in Cologne and Sydney that these are great occasions with great enthusiasm and he wants to give young people a witness to faith and encouragement to live lives of hope and charity." The Pope Benedict will arrive In Madrid on the evening of Thursday, August 18. He will then preside at a total of nine events with young people over the next four days, culminating in Sunday morning Mass at the city's Cuatro Vientos airport.Fr. Lombardi revealed today that over 800 bishops plan to attend that Mass. He highlighted that the Pope's leading of the Way of the Cross through the streets of Madrid on the Friday - prayed with "the intensity of the Spanish spiritual tradition" – will be one of the moments of great enthusiasm. Fr. Lombardi also explained that Pope John Paul II will be a significant figure at World Youth Day. The recently beatified pontiff was declared one of the patrons of the event earlier this year. He confirmed that the event's inaugural Mass on Tuesday evening will be the "Mass of Blessed Pope John Paul II." It was also confirmed Friday that the Pope will make time next week to visit the King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia of Spain, Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and opposition leader Mariano Rajoy.