The programme for World Youth Day Madrid, 2011 is released

The Press Office of the Holy See was the scene of the official presentation of the 2011 edition of World Youth Day, to be held in Madrid, Spain. The theme for World Youth Day, 2011 is “Planted and Built up in Jesus Christ, Strong in the Faith” – a text taken from the Letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Colossians.

In his August message for the event, Pope Benedict XVI noted that World Youth Day 2011 would be taking place at a time in which Europe greatly needs to rediscover its Christian roots, and he encouraged young people to take come to Madrid and take part, calling it greatly important for the Church in Europe and for the universal Church.

At the Tuesday Press Conference, the President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko said "every World Youth Day is a great celebration of a young faith, the epiphany of a church that continues to find anew Her extraordinary power to attract and draw together the world’s young people".

He went on to say that the basic pastoral project of the World Youth Day, however, is not for young people, only; it is for the whole Church, which constantly needs to be stimulated by the enthusiasm and zeal typical of youthful faith. It is, he said. a powerful wind of hope that the Church - especially today - so desperately needs.