And now, as the living presence of the Risen Christ in our midst nourishes our faith and hope, I am pleased to announce that the next World Youth Day will take place in Sydney, Australia, in 2008. We entrust to the maternal guidance of Mary most holy, the future course of the young people of the whole world. Angelus Domini ...
Cologne, August 2005
And so, Pope Benedict set in train a momentous journey that is nearing its climax.
World Youth Day will be celebrated in Sydney on Sunday, July 20.
The Papal Mass on that morning will be the finale to activities that have taken place around the world but which have had a special focus and intensity in Australia ... from the announcement of Sydney's successful bid, to the reception of the WYD Cross and Icon from the Pope in Rome in April 2006 which set it on yet another pilgrimage that brought it via Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania to Australia's shores on July 1, 2007.
In Australia, the Cross and Icon have been joined by an Indigenous Message Stick which carries an invitation from the Indigenous people of Sydney to the Indigenous youth of Australia to attend WYD08.
By the time they return to Sydney, they will have travelled for 325 days through 29 Australian dioceses - including the Military Diocese and the Maronite Diocese and 30 communities and movements - covering 65,000 km (including flights) and been the focus at 2300 events. Organisers estimate that between 280,000 and 380,000 people will have been directly present to the Cross, Icon and Message Stick during the journey around Australia. They will end their journey to WYD08 with a 15 Day Walk through the suburbs of Sydney, culminating in the official walk-in at the opening Mass on Tuesday, July 15.
World Youth Day has become the largest youth event in the world.
With less than a month to go, pathways draws together some of the facts, figures and announcements, some bizarre, some intriguing, behind the pulling together of the largest event in Australia's history ...
FOOD
With up to 125,000 international visitors from over 170 nations expected, organisers want to ensure they all have some dinky-di Australian food.
Approximately 25 million items have already been ordered. These will be used to serve breakfast at more than 400 accommodation venues, lunch at 250 catechesis sites and evening meals in the central city. More than 900,000 hot evening meals, prepared by Easyfood in Victoria, will be served throughout the week at major city locations including Barangaroo, Hyde Park, Domain, Darling Harbour and the Sydney Opera House Forecourt.
In total, 3.5 million meals will be served during the event.
TRAVEL
Strong demand for airline seats into Australia for WYD08 has led to at least 36 extra flights being scheduled for July. Sydney Airport Corporation Ltd has confirmed that 35 new airline flights and one dedicated charter have been booked to bring passengers into Sydney in the lead-up to WYD08.
AMBASSADORS
Nine prominent Australians will be official
Ambassadors for WYD08, generously volunteering their public profile and time to help promote WYD08 around Australia in the lead up to the event. They are:
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Carla Zampatti, fashion designer
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Jared Crouch, AFL Sydney Swans player
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the Delezio family - Ron, Carolyn, Sophie and Mitchell
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Matthew Hayden, Australian cricketer
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Amelia Farrugia, opera singer
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Mark Bresciano, Socceroo
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Stephen Moore, Wallabies hooker
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Jimmy Little, musician
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John Herron, former Ambassador to the Holy See and Ireland, and Chairman of the Australian National Council on Drugs
CLOTHES
Target stores nationally has launched an exclusive World Youth Day Sydney 2008 clothing range created by Australian company Kid Crew Express.
The women's range includes funky hoodies, caps and short and long sleeve t-shirts in two main colour schemes - red, white and grey, and navy, white and charcoal. The men's range features hoodies and t-shirts available in vibrant red, green or black designs, with all garments sporting variations of the 'WYD08' or 'WYD SYD' acronyms.
The range is targeted at 16-24 year olds, with sizes ranging from 8 - 18 (women's) and XS to XXL (men's). But Australians of all ages, shape and sizes are invited to wear the clothing. The items retail between $16.99 and $39.99 per item.
(for more information about other WYD08 clothing, merchandise and accessories, visit the WYD08 Shop)
LITURGY
The youthful designs and Australian themes for the sanctuary spaces for World Youth Day have received official approval.
There will be two sanctuaries designed and built for the six day international gathering. The first sanctuary will be built at Barangaroo where the Tuesday (July 15) opening Mass and Thursday (July 17) Papal arrival will take place. The second and showpiece sanctuary will be at Randwick Racecourse which will be used for the vigil with the Pope on Saturday and the final Mass, on Sunday.
At Randwick, the base of the sanctuary will be eight metres high and will feature a giant screen either side.
Southern Cross Precinct - the area that combines Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park into one venue - will be dressed with vibrant red, orange, yellow and blue banners, fabric fencing, billboards and flags, echoing Australia's unique landscape.
The sanctuary will also feature iconic Australian design elements such as the famous curves of the Sydney Opera House. Indigenous Australian themes will also be prominently represented with imagery of Marjorie's Bird - a painting depicting the Holy Spirit by Indigenous artist Marjorie Liddy - directly above the centre of the sanctuary beneath a giant cross.
At its extremities the sanctuary will measure 60 metres wide and 73 metres deep and will be covered by a 22 metre high roof. An 86 metre ramp from the racetrack to the sanctuary - for a pre-Mass procession - and specially designed tiered seating area will be erected for the 500 cardinals and bishops concelebrating the events.
The sanctuary will also seat the 300-strong WYD08 choir and 80-piece orchestra.
MUSIC
The 80-piece WYD08 Orchestra consists of a large number of performers from the Sydney Youth Orchestra (SYO), Catholic Schools Performing Arts (CaSPA) orchestra, and the SBS Youth Orchestra, along with other tertiary musicians and some professional players with most performers between 16-35 years old.
The WYD08 Choir will feature 200 singers from "Greater" Sydney, 100 singers from around Australia and five soloists. The choir will be prepared by 27-year old Sydney-based Chorusmaster, David Russell.
Amelia Farrugia and Andrew Goodwin, two of Australia's brightest young opera stars, will each perform solo cantor roles at the final Mass (July 20).
Eighteen-year-old Phoebe Humphreys from teenage opera sensation Tempus and 17-year-old Sydney student Jordan Hunt will be the solo cantors for the opening Mass (July 15) before more than 225,000 people. Fellow Tempus opera star, 19-year-old Lauren Zolezzi, will sing solo before the Pope at the Vigil (July 19).
Lauren will sing with the WYD08 Choir in several pieces including the WYD08 Marian hymn Our Lady of the Southern Cross, composed by Rev Geoffrey Abdallah (music) with words by Sr Pauline Smith RSM.
The WYD08 Choir and the three orchestras will be conducted by young up-and-coming Australian conductor Benjamin Bayl, who has worked widely in the operatic sphere in London, Budapest, Barcelona and Sydney.
A number of other choirs and musical groups will perform live at major events throughout the WYD08 week.
Opening Mass - Tuesday, July 15, 4.30 - 6.30pm
SBS Youth Orchestra: performing the specially-commissioned WYD08 Mass Setting composed by George Palmer
WYD08 Choir
Solo cantors Phoebe Humphreys and Jordan Hunt
Performance from Irish singer and former politician Dana Scallon, who wrote and performed the theme song for WYD Denver in 1993
Papal Arrival - Thursday, July 17, 2.45pm
Gondwana Voices and the Gondwana Indigenous Children's Choir: performing a specially commissioned song Tu es Petrus by young Australian composer Daniel Walker
CaSPA Choir and CaSPA Orchestra
The Stations of the Cross - Friday, July 18, 3 - 6pm
St Mary's Cathedral Choir (Station 1)
Gospel singer Francine Bell (Station 9 and 10)
Robert Galea, a singing seminarian from Malta (Station 13)
Evening Vigil - Saturday, July 19, 7 - 9pm
Sydney Youth Orchestra: performing hymns including the WYD08 Marian hymn, Our Lady of the Southern Cross.
WYD08 Choir
Soloist Lauren Zolezzi
Ukrainian choir will perform two traditional pieces at the end of Adoration
Final Mass - Sunday, July 20, 10am
WYD08 Orchestra and Choir
St Mary's Cathedral Choir
Solo cantors Amelia Farrugia and Andrew Goodwin
Francine Bell, singing a communion hymn
BANNERS
Around 2500 banners will decorate the city from Sydney Airport to Darling Harbour's foreshore, across the CBD and around Randwick Racecourse.
Red banners will feature a cross and will be used in the most sacred spaces. The next colour is orange, the banners awash with the flame of the Holy Spirit.
Further from the sacred spaces will be yellow banners with waves of the Sydney Opera House, and in the more public areas will be blue banners with water marks on them.
Organisers say the graphics and images blend Australian culture with the spiritual nature of World Youth Day.
MEDIA
The Catholic Weekly has been appointed the official Catholic newspaper. As the countdown continues to WYD08,
The Catholic Weekly has ramped up coverage of the event this year, producing up to a 16-page WYD08 lift-out, called WYD News, each month. Coverage is also available on the
paper's website.
Other media partners incude: SBS: free-to-air TV rights holder; Sky News: subscription TV rights holder; News Limited: newspapers; IMG Media: host broadcaster
Organisers expect about 3000 media will cover WYD08.
PATRON SAINTS
A tradition of each World Youth Day, the 10 patrons have been chosen. An Australian artist, Richard de Stoop has been commissioned to recreate their images.
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Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Help of Christians
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Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901 - 1925)
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Blessed Mary MacKillop (1842 - 1909)
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Saint Peter Chanel (1803 - 1841)
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Blessed Peter To Rot (1912 - 1945)
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Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910 - 1997)
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Saint Therese of Lisieux (1873 - 1897)
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Saint Maria Goretti (1890 - 1902)
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Saint Faustina Kowalska (1905 -1938)
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Servant of God, John Paul II (1920 - 2005
THINGS YOU REALLY WANTED TO KNOW
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Up to 500,000 people are expected to attend the Final Mass atRandwick Racecourse and Centennial Park (which is open to all)
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Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park will be united in name as the "Southern Cross Precinct" for the Vigil and Final Mass.
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4000 toilets for Southern Cross Precinct (Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park)
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35 large video screens for Southern Cross Precinct
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60 lighting towers for Southern Cross Precinct
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The four official WYD08 languages are: English, French, Italian and Spanish
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WYD08 will be the most technological event ever, with the Pope to send text messages to all registered pilgrims and digital Prayer Walls available as well
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100 actors taking part in the Stations of the Cross performance
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500 chasubles for the Bishops and Cardinals made
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2000 stoles for the priests
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1 million communion hosts to be made
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120 bottles of wine (total) for the Opening Mass and Final Mass
(THEME) You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.' Acts 1:8
(the information gathered here has been taken from media releases and fact sheets issued by World Youth Day 08. for further information, updates and news releases, visit latest news)
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