XXIII World Youth Day,  Sydney 2008
Tuesday 15 to Sunday 20 July
 

 
Website, including internet video broadcasts

 Reports and photographs from James Torrance (1)
(Click images to enlarge)

Page 1.  Arrival in Sydney & Introduction to World Youth Day

Page 2.  Opening Mass & Papal Arrival

Page 3.  Evening Vigil & Papal Mass
 

Greetings from Sydney, Australia
 
In August 2005 Sydney was chosen to host the XXIII World Youth Day in 2008. Organised by the Catholic Church, World Youth Day is the largest youth event in the world, gathering young people from every nation.
 
This World Youth Day is unique, it has never been held in Oceania before, and it has only once been held in the Southern hemisphere.
 
The Menevia Pilgrimage left London on Wednesday 9th July and travelled to Australia via Hong Kong, arriving at 7:30 am local time. 15 Pilgrims including representatives from all areas of the Diocese together with Fr. Neil Evans and Sr. Angela Murray who have organised the Menevia Pilgrimage and Fr. Philip and Fr. Michael.
 
The week of World Youth Day (15th July – 20th July) has been packed with activities and events.
 
Tuesday 15 July – Opening Mass celebrated by Cardinal George Pell, followed by Youth Festival events and Welcome Concert
 
Wednesday 16th – Friday 18th July – Catechesis sessions at, for our Diocese, Our Lady Star of the Sea Kirribilli, each morning followed by festivals and concerts during the afternoon and evening.
 
Thursday 17th July - Arrival of Pope Benedict by Boatcade in Sydney Harbour.
 
Friday 18th July – Stations of the Cross – a dramatic and real re-enactment of the last days of Jesus’ life in areas across Sydney. Pope Benedict will lead the event.
 
Saturday 19th July – Pilgrimage Walk to Southern Cross Precinct – Randwick Racecourse for the Evening Vigil with Pope Benedict followed by sleeping out ‘under the stars’ before the Papal Mass on Sunday.
 
Sunday 20th July – Final Mass with Pope Benedict at Randwick Racecourse.

Group Activities

As well as attending the World Youth Day events since our arrival we have been able to experience the tourist attractions of Sydney. This has involved a tour of the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Cruise, trip to the Blue Mountains and yesterday The Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.

Youth on board a Sydney Harbour Cruise

Pilgrims at Sydney Opera House

James, Louise, Paedar and Gabi at the Blue Mountains
 

WYD Facts

Who’s going to WYD from England and Wales?

• Over 2,000 young adults, aged 16 to 35, will travel from England and Wales to World Youth Day 2008.

• They will be joined by up to 20 bishops from England and Wales including Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster Diocese.

• The cost for each pilgrim will be around £2,000 for flight, accommodation, meals and registration.

Key Statistics

• Up to 500,000 people are expected to attend the Final Mass at Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park (which is open to all)

• Up to 225,000 registered pilgrims are expected to take part in WYD08 events each day, including 125,000 international visitors

• 100,000 Australian pilgrims are expected

• An estimated 8,000 volunteers will assist

• An estimated 2,000 clergy will be present

• An estimated 500 Cardinals and Bishops will be present

• 25 million food items will need to be prepared, packaged and distributed

• 3.5 million meals will be served to pilgrims

• 3,000 media are expected to cover the event

• World Youth Day attracts pilgrims from some 200 nations

• 100,000 will sleep in 700 schools and parishes

• Up to 40,000 will be billeted as part of the HomeStay program

• Approximately 20,000 will stay in paid accommodation such as hostels, boarding houses, hotels and backpacker accommodation. The remainder will make their own arrangements

• The four official WYD08 languages are: English, French, Italian and Spanish

• Door-drops to half a million Sydney homes, inviting them to volunteer, become a HomeStay host or attend events during the WYD08 week

• WYD08 will be the most technological event ever, with the Pope to send text messages to all registered pilgrims and digital Prayer Walls available as well

• 100 actors taking part in the Stations of the Cross performance

• 500 chasubles for the Bishops and Cardinals made

• 2000 stoles for the priests

• 1 million communion hosts to be made

• 120 bottles of wine (total) for the Opening Mass and Final Mass

• Randwick Racecourse in Sydney's eastern suburbs has been selected as the site of the all-night Vigil and Final Mass to be celebrated by His Holiness. This site has been the location of three Papal Masses previously but is being extended to accommodate the largest ever crowd at a single event in Australian history. Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park will be united in name as the "Southern Cross Precinct" for the Vigil and Final Mass. Randwick Racecourse has hosted the Rolling Stones, and some scenes from the film ‘Mission Impossible II’ were filmed there

• 4000 toilets for Southern Cross Precinct (Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park) 35 large video screens for Southern Cross Precinct

• 60 lighting towers for Southern Cross Precinct

• World Youth Day has proven to be the largest single, international mobilisation of young people the world has ever seen. In the days immediately prior to the World Youth Day programme of events 50,000 young people will journey from Melbourne to Sydney, half of them probably from overseas. If they all travel by bus, separated by the regulation 150 metres, the convoy will stretch for 150 kilometres. If they edge together a bit up to nearly 100 metres apart, it will only stretch for 100 kilometres. Perhaps the biggest peace time movement between Melbourne and Sydney

• It will be the single biggest influx of visitors onto Australian shores for a single event, likely to bring an even greater number than for the Sydney Olympics. And they're not coming for a rock concert, they're not coming for a sporting context, they're coming as pilgrims as people have done so for thousands of years in all the great religious traditions, that is, tourists with a religious purpose

• World Youth Day Sydney is supporting Australian food producers by putting in large orders to feed the masses during the July event. Approximately 25 million items have already been ordered. These will be used to serve breakfast at more than 400 accommodation venues, lunch at 250 catechesis sites and evening meals in the central city. In total, 3.5 million meals will be served during the entire event

• Dubbed the "WYD Big Aussie BBQ", the iconic Aussie barbeque will be taken to new heights on Wednesday 16 July when over 120,000 pilgrims are expected to take part in around 200 locations. Where possible, WYD have ordered food items with minimal or recyclable packaging to reduce the mount of waste