The visit of Pope Francis to Portugal on the occasion of World Youth Day (WYD) will take place a day earlier than planned, on 2 August.
“His Holiness Pope Francis will visit Portugal from 2 to 6 August on the occasion of World Youth Day 2023, which will be held in Lisbon,” the official website of the President of the Republic announced.
The WYD Foundation said in a statement that “by the direct will of Pope Francis, the official program of the visit will also include a trip to Fatima, which will take place on August 5.”
In a note, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa points to the “unique nature of World Youth Day” in the country, considering the Pope’s visit “a unique and indelible moment.”
This is Pope Francis’ second trip to Portugal after presiding over the May 13 ceremonies at the Sanctuary of Fatima in 2017, as part of a centenary of apparition visit that marked the official canonization of two shepherd children, Jacinta and Francisco Marto.
Francis is the fourth pope to visit Portugal, after Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1982, 1991 and 2000 and Benedict XVI in 2010.
Lisbon has been chosen by Pope Francis for the next World Youth Day, which will take place from August 1st to 6th this year, with the main ceremonies taking place in Tagus Park, north of Nasoins Park, on the banks of the river. Tagus, on lands in the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures.
WYD was born at the initiative of Pope John Paul II after the success of the meeting organized in 1985 in Rome as part of the International Year of Youth.
The first edition took place in 1986 in Rome, having already passed through Buenos Aires (1987), Santiago de Compostela (1989), Czestochowa (1991), Denver (1993), Manila (1995), Paris (1997), Rome ( 2000), Toronto (2002), Cologne (2005), Sydney (2008), Madrid (2011), Rio de Janeiro (2013), Krakow (2016) and Panama (2019).
This year’s edition, which will be closed by the Pope, was originally scheduled for 2022 but was delayed due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Pope Francis was the first to register for WMJLisboa2023 on October 23, 2022 at the Vatican after the Angelus celebration. This gesture marked the worldwide opening of registration for the World Youth Meeting with the Pope.
To date, over half a million young people have begun the registration process.
Author: morning Post This Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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