Ethan Walker
World Youth Day (WYD) is an event for Catholic youth that takes place about every three years in a different country. It was established by Pope John Paul II in 1985 and has been held internationally every two to four years since 1986. The event is an opportunity for young Catholics to deepen their faith and grow closer to Christ, and it attracts massive crowds of young people from all over the world. WYD is celebrated at the diocesan level annually—most places held it on Palm Sunday from 1986 to 2020, but in 2021, Pope Francis moved its celebration to Christ the King Sunday in November. The next WYD will be held in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2023, followed by Seoul, South Korea, in 2027.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Frequency of celebration | Every two to four years at the international level |
| Frequency of celebration | Annually or semi-annually at the diocesan level |
| Year of first celebration | 1986 |
| Frequency of celebration since 2002 | Every three years |
| Frequency of celebration since 2021 | Annually on the Feast of Christ the King at the diocesan level |
| Year of next celebration | 2027 |
| Location of next celebration | Seoul, South Korea |
| Typical month of celebration | July or August |
| Typical number of attendees | 500,000 to 5,000,000 |
| Record number of attendees | 5,000,000 (1995, Philippines) |
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What You'll Learn
International World Youth Day
The event takes the form of a pilgrimage to a major world city, where there is a weeklong program of spiritual activity that integrates catechism, public rituals—including a reenactment of the Stations of the Cross—and performing arts. The program is inaugurated by the completion of the "Journey of the Cross and Icon," in which young pilgrims transport a wooden cross and an image of the Virgin Mary from Rome to the celebration site. The celebration culminates in a Sunday mass led by the pope.
The most recent International World Youth Day was celebrated in Lisbon, Portugal, from August 1-6, 2023. The next World Youth Day will be held in Seoul, Korea, in the summer of 2027.
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Diocesan World Youth Day
From 1986 to 2020, diocesan celebrations were usually held on Palm Sunday, including the Mass of Passion Sunday, commemorating Jesus' entry into Jerusalem in his final days. However, in 2020, Pope Francis moved the Diocesan Celebration of WYD to the Sunday of the Solemnity of Christ the King, starting in 2021. Now, the celebrations almost always include the Mass of the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe, reflecting the eschatological importance of Jesus.
WYD is celebrated annually or semi-annually in local dioceses and is nicknamed the "Catholic Woodstock". It is a chance for pilgrims to come together globally to pray, worship, and celebrate the Catholic faith. The event takes the form of a pilgrimage to a major world city, integrating catechism, public rituals, and performing arts. The program includes a re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross and culminates in a Sunday Mass led by the Pope.
International World Youth Days are held every two to four years in different locations, drawing from 500,000 to 5 million pilgrims. The event has been held in various cities, including Denver, Colorado, Sydney, Australia, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The next WYD will be held in Seoul, South Korea, from August 3-8, 2027, with the theme "Take Courage! I have overcome the world."
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Frequency of celebrations
World Youth Day is a worldwide encounter with the Pope and is celebrated every two to four years in a different country. It is a weeklong celebration that attracts hundreds of thousands of young people from all over the world. Since 1989, the international celebration has mostly taken place in July or August.
The first official World Youth Day was held on Palm Sunday in Rome in 1986. Pope John Paul II established World Youth Day in December 1985. The international World Youth Day is celebrated every few years. The event takes the form of a pilgrimage to a major world city. The program includes catechism, public rituals such as a reenactment of the Stations of the Cross, and performing arts, and it culminates in a Sunday mass led by the pope. The international celebration draws from 500,000 to 5 million pilgrims.
World Youth Day is also celebrated annually or semi-annually in local dioceses. From 1987 to 2020, the diocesan celebration of World Youth Day was held on Palm Sunday. In November 2020, Pope Francis announced that he was moving its celebration to the Feast of Christ the King, which falls in November on the last Sunday of Ordinary Time (immediately preceding Advent).
The most recent World Youth Day was celebrated in Lisbon, Portugal, from August 1 to 6, 2023. The next World Youth Day will be held in Seoul, Korea, most likely in the summer of 2027.
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History of the event
World Youth Day is an event for the youth organized by the Catholic Church. It was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985 and first celebrated in 1986. The event has been influenced by the Light-Life Movement that has existed in Poland since the 1960s, where Catholic young adults celebrated a "day of community" during summer camps.
The first official World Youth Day was held on Palm Sunday in Rome in 1986. Pope John Paul II established World Youth Day in December 1985. The event takes the form of a pilgrimage to a major world city, with catechism, public rituals, performing arts, and a Sunday mass led by the pope. The international celebration draws from 500,000 to 5 million pilgrims.
Since 1986, there have been 12 International World Youth Day celebrations. The event is held every two to four years at different locations, with the youth answering the invitation of the Holy Father. The last International WYD that Pope John Paul II attended was in Toronto, where he told the gathered crowd, "When, back in 1985, I wanted to start the World Youth Days… I imagined a powerful moment in which the young people of the world could meet Christ, who is eternally young, and could learn from him how to be bearers of the Gospel to other young people."
World Youth Day is also celebrated annually or semi-annually in local dioceses. From 1986 to 2020, the diocesan celebration of World Youth Day was held on Palm Sunday. In 2021, Pope Francis announced that the celebration would be moved to the Feast of Christ the King, which falls on the last Sunday of Ordinary Time before Advent.
The next World Youth Day celebrations will be held in Seoul, Korea, from August 3 to 8, 2027. The 2025 event will be in Rome, and the 2023 celebration will be in Portugal.
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Locations and dates of celebrations
World Youth Day is a worldwide encounter with the Pope, celebrated about every two to four years in a different country. The event was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985. Since 1989, the international celebration has mostly taken place in July or August.
The first official World Youth Day was held on Palm Sunday in Rome in 1986. From 1987 to 2020, the diocesan celebration of World Youth Day was held on Palm Sunday. In November 2020, Pope Francis announced that the celebration would be moved to the Feast of Christ the King, which falls on the last Sunday of Ordinary Time (immediately before Advent).
The international World Youth Day takes the form of a pilgrimage to a major world city, where there is a week-long program of spiritual activities that integrate catechism, public rituals, and performing arts. The program is inaugurated by the completion of the "Journey of the Cross and Icon," in which young pilgrims transport a wooden cross and an image of the Virgin Mary from Rome to the celebration site.
The locations and dates of celebrations are as follows:
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Częstochowa, Poland
- Denver, USA
- Manila, Philippines
- Paris, France
- Rome, Italy for the Millennium Jubilee
- Toronto, Canada
- Cologne, Germany
- Sydney, Australia (2008)
- Madrid, Spain
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2013)
- Krakow, Poland (2016)
- Panama City, Panama
- Lisbon, Portugal (2023)
- Seoul, Korea (2027)
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Frequently asked questions
World Youth Day is held every two to four years in a major world city.
The first World Youth Day was held in 1986.
The last World Youth Day was held in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2023.
The next World Youth Day will be held in Seoul, Korea, in 2027.
![Frequency [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91ZU6+GTwZL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
