The days of meeting” “

Everything is ready for the meeting with the youth of the world in Cologne: the official WYD website publishes information relating to the logistical organization of transport to Cologne and also details of the programme of the apostolic journey of Pope BenedICT XVI to Cologne, on the occasion of WYD. The Holy Father’s journey will last four days – from 18 to 21 August – and will include a number of surprises, such as the crossing of the Rhine. A series of important meetings are also planned: the Pope’s visit to Cologne synagogue, the ecumenical meeting, the meeting with German politicians, and lastly, and most importantly, the meeting with the young at Marienfeld. But the WYD is an event whose significance and value are augmented both by the days that precede it – the “Days of meeting” and the pilgrimage of the WYD Cross (“Kreuzspuren”) – and by its hoped-for longer term effects on the future in Germany and on the universal Church. “DAYS OF MEETING: A SUCCESS”. Some 120,000 youth from 162 countries have so far signed up to participate in the “Days of meeting in the German dioceses”: a record in comparison with previous World Youth Days, as Father Georg Austen, WYD secretary for the German Bishops’ Conference, underlined on 15 July, the last official day for enrolment. Moreover, the days preceding WYD, the so-called “days of meeting”, will be held in all the dioceses of Germany. “It’s wonderful and we are very happy about it”, said Austen, who also pointed out that, although the deadline for registration has passed, many German dioceses are still willing to provide hospitality to youngsters who haven’t yet obtained a visa to travel to Germany. According to Austen, a total of 150,000 enrolments is expected. Throughout Germany over 200,000 people have declared their willingness to offer accommodation or to assist as volunteers during the “Days of meeting”. French (21,000), Italians (20,000) and Poles (10,000): these are the most numerous groups of youth participating in the events that precede WYD in Cologne. The organization of the “Days of meeting” is largely based on twinning arrangements and partnerships between parishes, religious orders, and Catholic movements or associations: “That shows the close relations of the German Church with the universal Church”, pointed out Austen. “Twinning is a good way of forging links and ensuring that WYD may continue to make itself felt also in future”. THE HOSPITALITY OF FREIBURG. The archdiocese of Freiburg will host 8,800 youth from 48 nations between 11 and 15 August. This figure places Freiburg among the leading German dioceses, those providing hospitality to the larger part of the young. 72% of them come from Europe, 17.5% from South America, 5% from Africa, 4% from North America and 1.3% from Asia. Together with a further 4,360 youth from the archdiocese, the guests will depart for Cologne on 15 August to participate in the celebrations of WYD with the Pope. The days preceding WYD are dedicated to getting to know the country and its people, on the basis of a spiritual, cultural and tourist programme. To foster dialogue between the young and their hosts, guests aged between 16 and 27 will all be given accommodation in families. The young guests will in large part be French (2,352), who will arrive on the basis of twinning arrangements between towns or parishes. There will also be many Italians (1,626), Spaniards (1,500) and Chileans (1,365). The rich programme of events planned for the “days of meeting” will culminate at Mannheim at 1.00 pm on 15 August with an open-air celebration, in which some 15,000 youth will participate in the presence of two cardinals from Spain and Chile, 250 bishops and priests, and the archbishop of Freiburg, Robert Zollitsch. REDISCOVERING PILGRIMAGE. The long journey of the WYD Cross from Dresden (whence it set out at the beginning of July) to Cologne is a special occasion to rediscover pilgrimage: the dioceses traversed by the symbol of WYD participate, with the presence of their bishops, in it and accompany the Cross on its way. The various stages of the pilgrimage thus represent a kind of relay in which many bishops and cardinals are taking part. On 22 July the pilgrims reached Thuringia and then took the pilgrim’s way in the direction of Vacha, where the “feast of the mountain” will be celebrated with the bishop responsible for youth ministry, Msgr. Franz-Josef Bode, on 28-29 July. And the Cardinal Archbishop of Cologne Joachim Meisner, who comes from Thuringia, will be present on 28 July to accompany the Cross through his homeland. On 22 July the pilgrimage of the Cross stopped at the former concentration camp of Buchenwald, where an ecumenical service was held. During the celebration, Evangelical pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the children killed in the camp were commemorated.