The Vila Real area is expected to host 770 participants from France, Germany, Italy or Colombia in the Diocesan Days leading up to World Youth Day (WYD), who the organization says will be placed with host families.
Days in the diocese or predays take place in the week of 26 to 31 July and precede the WYD, which takes place in Lisbon from 1 to 6 August.
Father Joao Curralejo told the Lusa agency on Tuesday that less than a month before the Journey, 770 people, youth or believers, were registered for the Days in the diocese in Vila Real, which is the same area as the district.
Vila Real Diocesan Organizing Committee (COD) Coordinator Priest added that participants will be spread out “a bit across the diocese”, organized in groups of 50 due to bus logistics, and that “they will all be housed with host families.”
According to the official, about 350 families have joined the initiative, in which two young people will always live.
Most foreigners come from France (350), followed by Germany (220), Italy (61) and small groups from countries such as Colombia (84), Mexico (27), Angola (28), Philippines (14) and others .
These groups include four bishops.
As part of the “Igrejas Irmãs” project, promoted by the WYD Foundation, in order to attract people with more difficult conditions to travel, Vila Real will host four Nepalis.
João Curralejo said that “there was more participation than going on a trip”.
“We have 444 young people in our macrogroup of the Diocese of Vila Real who have registered to participate in the WYD in Lisbon. I know that there are other groups that walk, for example, with religious communities, there should be about 700 of them,” said Joao Curralejo.
Group registrations have already ended, and at the moment registration can be done individually.
The priest acknowledged that the number of people registered in Vila Real for WYD was “lower than expected”, lamenting and emphasizing that trips to Portugal happen “once in a lifetime”.
“The richest experience we can have in life, at any age, is meeting another and, above all, if we are able to open the door of the heart, even to those we do not know. The happiest experience is to welcome and be welcome, meet others and in the middle of a big crowd where I can shake hands with someone from the other side of the world, it’s a unique and unrepeatable experience,” he said.
The Diocese Preliminaries in Vila Real focus on July 28, when there will be a celebration with the Bishop of Vila Real, Antonio Azevedo, featuring a choir with youth from all over the world. district.
Then the participants will be able to enjoy the cultural offer of the city, museums, concerts or theater performances prepared by the council.
The facilitator recalled that the idea of the Pre-Days is for the participants to start preparing and getting to know the group environment in order to subsequently participate in the WYD, and he also emphasized that “the experience of Days in the Diocese is an encounter with reality and local residents”.
The WYD originated at the initiative of Pope John Paul II, and the first edition took place in 1986 in Rome.
Pope Francis was the first to register for WMJLisboa2023 on October 23, 2022 at the Vatican after the Angelus celebration. The gesture marked the worldwide opening of registration for the worldwide meeting of youth with the Pope that will close the Day.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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