Lisbon! We are here to meet the young people of the World! Since July 26th ,2023 thousands of “wydists” have been welcomed in Dioceses all over Portugal. All on their way to Lisbon for the week of August 1st to 6th ,2023. On the Theme: Living the energy of encounters, Testimonies, Questions, Silences, Consecration, Conversion, and Being invited to take a path, Alone and with Others.
To be sent on a Mission! The Roadmap is proposed by following in the Footsteps of Mary: “Mary got up and left in haste”: this is the theme of this Edition of WYD. Present from next Tuesday August 2nd,2023 Pope Francis hopes that this will be an opportunity for young people to receive and give seeds that can then germinate. At the heart of this Global event, 40 Young La Mennais Adults from Spain and France will experience the event live. Explanations
Here is the 16th WYD Edition! It’s a whole Country and especially a City that is in the Colors of WYD.
An active General Mobilization
Symbol of Lisbon: The openness to the Sea and the Rugged Terrain of the City.
-The message is clear: The World is here!
Scaffolding Cathedrals, Podiums being assembled…
Live from Parc Edouard VII, the Official Podium against the backdrop of take-off!
Everyone on the Bridge! The preparations have been underway for two years with a ramp-up in recent Weeks.
This translates into Teams of Volunteers of all ages, welcoming young people into Families, Agreements with Restaurants and Stores for discounts and Meals, Specific equipment with Podiums made for the occasion, Large banners and Flagged Streets… in short, a Contagious Mobilization!
Welcoming a young person into families: An Invitation to which the people of Lisbon have been sensitive.
Impressive Press Room, ready to vibrate to Events.
One of the many Restaurants stamped JMJ with Reductions and Menus. Below, on the right, the Famous Elevador de Santa justa Elevator in the heart of Old Lisbon.
Do something New for these WYD!
This is the invitation addressed by Pope Francis to the preparation team months ago.
“Do not live in the past, thinking about what has been done in previous Meetings”, before quoting Blessed Carlo Acutis: “Each of us must be an Original, not a Photocopy”. “So, let it be a Young Event, a Fresh, Lively, Strong and Creative one”.
“Hardly emerged from a Pandemic Crisis, we entered an Economic Crisis and now we are living through the Crisis of War, which is one of the Worst Evils that can happen! “explains Pope Francis.
The journey of the 15 previous Editions of WYD around the World and their symbols below. Do you want to collect them?
Priority to the Most Vulnerable
It is in this sense that a Major Color of these WYD is brought to people affected by the Pandemic, those living in retirement homes, in prisons…
The “City of Joy” program during this week offers a number of Meetings with the weakest.
Mural made in Lisbon during the Covid Pandemic. What is this World? What World do we want? These WYDs can be an answer…
Another Novelty, the Catechesis are now called “Rise up”, “Get up”, but the Principle remains the same: a witness present from the Gospel of the keys on Three Major Themes: Integral Ecology, Friendship and Mercy. Finally, we also note among the Novelties a specific Meeting for the 40,000 young French people announced.
La Mennais: 40 young Spanish and French present
10 young French Adults left Rennes on July 26th 2023 and joined the Diocese of Porto. For their part, the young Spanish experienced a Week of Meetings and Activities in Zamora.
All join Lisbon this Monday. A Meeting between young La Mennais should take place on the spot-on Tuesday 2nd .2023 Several Themes are announced: Who are we? What do we experience during the year as Young Mennaisians? Why are we Mennaisians? What fruits do we expect to receive from these WYD?
A La Mennais Media Team is in place during this Week. It is notably composed of Camille Guitton, Pauline Jagoudet, Claire Tanguy, Arnaud Morandeau and Michel Tanguy.
Part of the La Mennais Media Team in Lisbon. Left: Claire Tanguy, Arnaud Morandeau and Michel Tanguy.
What the Pope expects from WYD: seeds
“Let what will be experienced in Lisbon be a seed of the World of Tomorrow”. This is the wish of Pope Francis on the Eve of the opening.
“We are at War, we need something else. A World that is not afraid to witness to the Gospel. A World with Joy; if we don’t have Joy, we are not credible, nobody believes us”.
“Mary does not stay to take a selfie”
He explained the choice of Theme for these World Youth Days: “Mary got up and left in haste” “Mary, when she knows that she is going to be the Mother of God, comments Pope Francis, does not remain motionless take a selfie or think about what she’s going to do”. On the contrary, “the first thing she does is to set off, in all haste, to serve, to help. You too, let us set out to help others”.