Spirituality
About 200 young people aged 16 to 30 from the four dioceses of the Russian Federation are travelling to the city of Baikalsk, eastern Siberia, near the Mongolian border, to participate in the 8th National Meeting of Young Catholics. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God” (Lk 1:30) – this is the theme chosen for the meeting by the Youth Commission of the Russian Bishops’ Conference, chaired by the bishop of Saratov, Mgr. Clemens Pickel. The event will open with a Mass on 19 July and will end on Sunday afternoon, 22 July. The programme is substantial and varied, featuring many opportunities for prayer and meditation, thematic debates and group discussions, outdoor events and a pilgrimage on Saturday to the Memorial to the victims of repression located in Irkutsk, about 130 kilometres from Baikalsk. Leading each diocesan delegation is a priest in charge of youth pastoral care. Young people from Moscow will have to travel almost 3 days to reach the venue of the meeting.
