WYD : a universal Church, a universal language

The 26^th World Youth Day kicked off in Madrid Spain on Tuesday evening with the celebration of Mass in Madrid´s Cibeles Square, presided over by the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela. Under the theme “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith”, hundreds of thousands of young Catholics from around the world will spend the next five days learning about the Universal Church and their faith. Emer McCarthy is in Madrid and sends us this report:

By midday Tuesday half a million pilgrims had registered to participate in WYD, but the queue outside pavilion number one of the Madrid Fiera – the logistics centre for WYD pilgrims - ran for over a kilometre and an average waiting period of over two hours. With temperatures reaching a scorching 37° centigrade many hid beneath the scant shade of national flags or cardboard boxes while volunteers issued water and hats to help protect from the burning sun.

Once inside the pilgrims – in parish and diocesan groups, as well as single individuals - received their pilgrim pass, their food and travel coupons, their packs and maps indicating where the Masses, catechesis and working groups in diverse language groups will be held starting from Wednesday morning. And through all of this, the waiting the heat, the confusion not a single cross word.

The Spanish capital has opened its doors to what has been described as a ‘peaceful invasion’ of young people. They are a visible presence everywhere in red and yellow T-shirts with their backpacks and flags. The historic Plaza del Sol – occupied in May this year by young Spaniards angered at soaring unemployment rates – has been taken over by groups from Germany, Italy and the US –by far the most dominant and vocal national groups.

A huge stage has been erected at the central Plaza de Cibeles, one of Madrid's most emblematic sites , where the opening mass will be held. Outdoor confessionals line the walls of the Jardines del Buen Retiro. While in the home grounds of Real Madrid – the famous Bernabe stadium – a Coffee House has been set up by young volunteers inviting visitors to the soccer grounds to stop and find out a little bit more about the Catholic faith and what motivates this movement of young people .

Another initiative, again led by young pilgrims is the ‘Chain of Eucharistic Adoration’ , where whatever the hour of the day, from 16 to 21 August, there will be someone praying for WYD and its fruits. The initiative will begin at the conclusion of the opening Mass Tuesday evening in the chapel at the Madrid Seminary and continue for a total of 121 hours until WYD concludes.

As one young man named Martin all the way from Malaysia, clutching his backpack and pilgrim pass eloquently put it: “I can’t believe I actually made it here. I was walking by a group of young people, I have no idea where they were from, I couldn’t understand their language but I knew they were praying the rosary, so we prayed together – that would never happen in my country, where Catholics are a minority. It really makes me feel now, that I am not alone”.
Listen: 00:02:17:86