The Cross and the Marian Icon of the World Youth Day will arrive in Australia on 1st July. This was reported today by mgr. Anthony Fisher, the bishop who coordinates the WYD, due in Sidney from 15th to 20th July 2008. On that day, a delegation of young people from New Zealand will hand the two symbols of the WYD over to a group of Australian peers in Sydney, thus kick-starting a day of celebrations, prayer and partying. "This is the beginning of the national pilgrimage of the Cross and the WYD Icon. This is the day on which the World Youth Day 2008 will really begin in our country", states the bishop who heads the organising committee. "The journey will touch all the dioceses of every region of Australia, thus continuing that 21-year-long pilgrimage of the young people who have carried these symbols everywhere in the world". All the Australian parishes are getting ready for the event, which, states mgr. Fisher, "is open to non-Catholic too". The Cross and the Marian Icon will visit, as well as the most beautiful places in Australia, also the national Parliament. Every day from 1st July the pilgrimage will be available online by clicking on the official WYD website, www.wyd2008.org.
