OBRIGADO LISBON | KAIROS GLOBAL | DECEMBER 2023

Author: Aleena Joy

Intro: Aleena Joy relives her experience of WYD 2023. 

With a record participation from every country (more than 200) around the globe, except Maldives, the 37th World Youth Day, Jornada Mundial da Juventude Lisboa 2023 (JMJ Lisboa 2023), was held in Lisbon, Portugal, from August 1-6, 2023. The highest number of registered pilgrims were from Spain, followed by Italy, Portugal, France and the US.

General happenings of WYD 2023

The pilgrims were received by the allotted parishes in three dioceses in Portugal. As a token of love, the pilgrims were given a welcome kit that contained a backpack, a water bottle, a Rosary, WYD T-shirt, a badge and a cap. The general accommodation was arranged in parishes of the host dioceses either in families or collective areas like schools, gyms or pavilions; breakfast was served here. All participants and volunteers were given a travel pass in the size of an ATM card which could be used in public transport systems – metros, buses, etc. The ID card contained a food coupon with a QR code which could be used for 2 meals in selected restaurants. A team of 25,000 (as per records) dedicated volunteers were always at the service. The ‘Lisboa 2023’ app was to be used for navigating through various venues and arrangements of WYD.

The pilgrimage of the WYD Symbols

The World Youth Day has two symbols that accompany and represent it: the Pilgrim Cross (a wooden cross) and the icon of Our Lady, Salus Populi Romani. Prior to every WYD, the symbols go on pilgrimage to proclaim the Gospel and accompany young people, especially in the situations in which they live. Standing 3.8 metres high, the Pilgrim Cross (built for the Holy Year in 1983) was entrusted by John Paul II to young people on Palm Sunday 1984, to be carried around the world. Since 2003, the Pilgrim Cross has been accompanied by the icon of Our Lady Salus Populi Romani, which represents the Virgin Mary with the Child in her arms. This icon was also established by Pope John Paul II as a symbol of Mary’s presence among young people. Between November 2021 and July 2023, the WYD symbols went on pilgrimage through the 21 Portuguese dioceses, sojourning a month each in every diocese. The pilgrimage started from Rome on the feast of Christ the King and travelled through Angola in Africa and Spain and Poland in Europe before it reached Portugal. The symbols arrived at the Patriarchate of Lisbon in Portugal on July 1.

Adding to the two symbols, the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Fatima travelled from Fatima to Lisbon to be present during the WYD. The pilgrimage of the Marian statue was seen as a way of bringing Marian devotion to the WYD.

Days in Diocese

‘Days in the Dioceses’ is a gathering that preceded the week of WYD Lisbon 2023 which integrated the young people from around the world into the parish communities of the country’s various dioceses. It was held from 26 to 31 July 2023 in 17 dioceses across mainland Portugal and islands. The whole programme was anchored on five pillars: reception, discovery, mission, culture and sending forth.

The Opening Mass

With Cardinal Manuel Clemente, the Patriarch of Lisbon, as the main celebrant, the opening Mass was concelebrated by cardinals and prelates from several nations at the Parque Eduardo VII. The patriarch, on behalf of Pope Francis and the Church, welcomed the multitudes of youth gathered, in Portuguese, English, Italian, Spanish and French. President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was also present during the Opening Mass.

The name, Encontro Hill (Hill of Encounter) evokes encounters with the Living Christ, the first objective of World Youth Day. It reminds us of the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth, a true intergenerational encounter, marked by joy. 

The homily of the Mass celebrated in Portuguese revolved around the theme of WYD 2023. The Cardinal reminded the youth that they too had to set out on their way, just as Mother Mary set out with haste, waking the difficult terrains to meet Elizabeth, after conceiving Jesus. Christian believers carry Jesus spiritually as they receive him in the sacraments, just as Our Lady carried him in her womb. Pointing to the encounter of Mary and Elizabeth, the cardinal said that every encounter with others must contain a genuine greeting, full of sincerity and words of welcome and sharing.

Rise up gatherings

In line with the synodal journey, the Rise Up gatherings were a new model of catechesis introduced during WYD 2023. The encounters challenged young people to reflect on the major themes launched by Pope Francis' pontificate: Integral Ecology, Social Friendship and Mercy. These happened during the mornings of August 2, 3 and 4; the youth would gather in their respective parishes for catechesis, time of Praise and Worship and Holy Mass. Catechesis included reflection of the theme of the day and testimonies.

The Youth Festival

Spread throughout the city of Lisbon on stages and outdoor and indoor spaces, the youth festival took place on all 6 days of WYD.  More than 100 music groups from around the world turned up to host their performances. Jesus Youth bands, Vox Christi, Acts of the Apostles, Inside Out, Master Plan and 99.One marked their presence for this edition of WYD. In addition to this, the theatres, museums, JMJ sports, movies, religious and encounter events added flavour to the youth festival. 

Welcoming of Pope

The evening of August 3 marked the four days of journeying together with the Pope. Welcoming the Pope, shouting in unison Esta es la juventud del Papa (we are the youth of the Pope), many of the youth gathered in the Encontro Hill in Parque Eduardo VII shared the joy of seeing with the Pope in person for the first time. 

The Holy Father in his homily reminded the youth that Jesus has confidence in each person and that each person counts. ‘Nobody is left out, nobody is too much’, ‘We are the community of brothers and sisters of Jesus’, ‘God loves you and calls you’ were some of the highlights from the homily.

The Way of the Cross

‘Look at Jesus, who is passing by, and let us walk with him,’ said the Holy Father to around 800,000 youth gathered in the Parque Eduardo VII during the evening of August 4. The dramatic rendition of each station was played by Ensemble 23 which consisted of 50 men and women from different countries. Each station contemplated the wounds and weaknesses present in the lives of today’s young people, including poverty, solitude, intolerance, destruction of creation, and dependency. Along with the contemplation, young people from various parts of the world shared their own testimonies of suffering, hope and love. As usual, the Via Crucis with the Pope was one of the moving events of this WYD too. 

The Vigil and the Missioning Mass

While the pilgrims were scattered throughout the city of Lisbon during the initial days, the Vigil and the Missioning Mass brought them together in the Campo da Graça. By the noon of August 5, the pilgrims set on foot, taking along with them their sleeping bag, essentials and the meal kits that contained food from lunch and dinner for the day and breakfast and lunch for August 6. There were no boundaries. Irrespective of their nationalities or colour or their state of life, everyone was alike in Campo da Graça. It was a true missionary experience.

‘True joy is a missionary,’ said the Pope in his homily during the Vigil. The Holy Father encouraged the youth to be the roots of Joy. ‘The only time when it is lawful to look at a person from top to bottom is to help him get back on his feet,’ he said. The homily was followed by the Eucharistic Adoration. Despite the fact that there were around 1.5 million youth gathered, there was a profound silence during the adoration. Following the adoration, the pilgrims retired for the night on the ground of Tagus Park, eagerly waiting for the Missioning Mass. 

‘Shine, listen and not fear’ were three key points the Holy Father exhorted to the youth during the Missioning Mass. As per reports, The Commissioning Mass was attended by 1.5 million youth and was concelebrated by 700 bishops and 10,000 priests from around the world. The Pope reminded the youth that in order to ‘shine’, they have to love like Jesus did. Giving a mandate to listen, he said, ‘Listen to him. Everything is here: everything you have to do in life is found in this word.’ Calling upon the youth to be not afraid, with a fatherly heart, the Pope said, ‘To you young people, who cultivate big dreams but often overshadowed by the fear of not seeing them come true; to you young people who sometimes think you won't make it; to you young people, tempted in this time to lose heart, to judge yourselves inadequate or to hide your pain by disguising it with a smile; to you, young people, who want to change the world and fight for justice and peace; to you, young people, who invest the best of your effort and imagination but still have the feeling that they are not enough; to you, young people, whom the Church and the world need like the land of rain; it is to you, young people, who are the present and the future… it is precisely to you, young people, that Jesus says: “Do not be afraid.”’ 

WYD 2027

At the Angelus after the Missioning Mass, Pope Francis made two major announcements. 1) The next World Youth Day will be held in Seoul, South Korea, in 2027 and 2) the Jubilee of Youth will be held in Rome in 2025. The Holy Father said WYD will now move from the western periphery of Europe all the way to the Far East, demonstrating the universality of the Church. South Korea will be the first Asian country to host the WYD. Repeating the Portuguese word Obrigado which means thank you, Pope Francis extended his heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in the smooth hosting of WYD 2023.

An end note

Having read all these, are you excited to have a live WYD experience? Brace yourself up for WYD 2027. Start praying from today. As a personal note, each one of us should experience the beauty of coming together of the young Church at least once in our lifetime. Like how the WYD 2023 pilgrims arose and went with haste to meet their fellow brethren in Christ, along with Mary, let us all eagerly pray and prepare for the WYD 2027 in Seoul. With a grateful heart, pouring out all love and prayers, Obrigado Lisbon, Obrigado Portugal.

Aleena Joy Pulluparambil, works as BIM coordinator in Kochi. She hails from Puthenchira, India, and is active in prolife and apologetics circles.