History World Youth Day 2008

World Youth Day 2008 (WYD08) – to be hosted in Sydney from 15-20 July - is expected to attract half a million participants, including over 125,000 international visitors. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will make his first visit to Australia for WYD08, presiding over the Final Mass.

Initiated by Pope John Paul II, the first World Youth Day was held in Rome in 1986 on Palm Sunday. It continues to be celebrated at a diocesan level on Palm Sunday each year. But every 2-3 years a massive international gathering celebrates in a different ‘host city’. – Buenos Aires, Czestochowa, Denver, Manila, Paris, Toronto and Cologne have all been hosts.

The international World Youth Days are marked by a week-long series of events, attended by the Pope and hundreds of thousands of young people from all over the world. From throughout the world, young people will make a pilgrimage in faith, meet and experience hospitality and the love of God. They will have the opportunity to rediscover their baptismal calling and the centrality of the sacrament of the Eucharist, reconciliation and the richness of the Catholic faith.

Sydney is chosen - The Holy Father's announcement
"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."

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, 21 August 2005
How thrilled we were to hear these words in August 2005, when Pope Benedict XVI announced Sydney as the host of the XXIII World Youth Day. The announcement was made in Cologne, at the conclusion of the XX World Youth Day celebration.

This was the way our incredible three year journey of planning, preparation and anticipation began for Sydney, Australia... and the youth of the world.

The dates and the theme for WYD08 have been set... our logo has been created... the ePILGRIMAGE is underway and the Handover of the WYD Cross and Icon of Our Lady has taken place in Rome.

WYD08 will be the occasion of the first visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Australia and we very much look forward to welcoming him to the "Southern Land of the Holy Spirit". (Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Oceania, John Paul II 22 November 2001)

Through the WYD08 experience, young people from throughout the world will make a pilgrimage in faith, meet, and experience hospitality and the love of God. The young people will have an opportunity to rediscover their baptismal calling and the centrality of the sacraments of the Eucharist and reconciliation, and so discover a new apostolic zeal to witness more fully the Gospel in the modern world.