(From our Sydney correspondents) – No need to wait any longer. The Mass celebrated by Card. George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, at Barangaroo, has officially opened the 23rd World Youth Day. About 150,000 youngsters crowded the city’s old harbour. In front of them, the altar stood where 26 cardinals, 400 bishops and 4,000 priests have co-celebrated Mass; further down, the Ocean. The universality of the event was marked by the flying flags and the kids’ different colors and faces, as well as by the multilingual greeting addressed to all participants by the Archbishop. The host country was represented by the six stars which have been embroidered on the co-celebrants’ chasuble and by the tribal dance which was performed by the Aborigines for the Gospel acclamation. "You are the members of an ancient Church founded by the Apostles Peter and Paul". Card. Pell said, addressing the 10,000 Italian pilgrims. "You come from the land of the Popes. In Australia the Church is very young, instead, but many immigrant Italian brothers and sisters live here. This is why we feel confident that you will feel as if you were amongst friends, here". Now the Mass has ended, but the kids are still in their place: an evening of music and singing awaits them, with the youth festival and the greeting concert. The celebration of young people from around the world has just started…
