It is a five day papal event in which the Pope invites young people to gather with him to celebrate faith and to become builders of a new civilisation of love and truth and a culture of life and hope. Pope Benedict XVI has announced Sydney as the next international World Youth Day host. Under the leadership of Cardinal George Pell, Sydney is presently preparing to welcome Pope Benedict and the youth of the world from July 15-20, 2008.
Held internationally every 2-3 years, in a different host country, the World Youth Days have become the world’s largest mobilisation of young people for a single event, regularly attracting a participation in excess of 1 million young people. The World Youth Day Cross and Icon are the heralds of this event. They are two large symbols, first given by the Pope John Paul II to young people in 1984, to be carried in the world as a witness to love, self-giving and hope – a 4m high, 40 kilo wooden Cross and a 1.75m high wooden panel bearing the sacred image of the child Jesus with his Mother.
The global journey of World Youth Day Cross and Icon is currently spreading the World Youth Day 08 news touring parts of South East Asia and the islands of the Pacific and New Zealand en route to their arrival in Sydney on July 1, 2007. This will be a day of significant celebration, beginning a 12 month comprehensive tour of Australia.
From the Sydney Opera House to Uluru, from Cable Beach to Mount Kosciusko, the World Youth Day Cross and Icon will travel in excess of 60,000kms over the course of the year, taking in every Australian state, to major cities and through small country centres, inviting young people to carry, pray and celebrate with the signs of faith in preparation for the major World Youth Day event in Sydney, July 15-20, 2008.
The journey of the Cross and Icon will take place in the Diocese of Wagga Wagga from February 27-March 6, 2008. The Diocese encompasses the following areas: Tumbarumba, Holbrook, Albury, Culcairn, Wagga Wagga, The Rock, Tarcutta, Junee, Ganmain, Narrandera, Leeton, Yenda, Griffith, Darlington Point, Coleambally, Lockhart, Urana, Jerilderie, Berrigan, Finley, Tocumwal, Mulwala/Yarrawonga and Corowa.
The Catholic parishes of Oliver Plunkett, Darlington Point and St Peter’s Coleambally have been busily organising their own activities with the World Youth Day Cross and the accompanying Icon of Our Lady which will be held on Tuesday March 4, 2008.
Their celebrations include a street procession, followed by prayer, talks and veneration. Darlington Point will host the Cross and Icon from 11.30am until 12.45pm and begin their procession from the Caravan Park on the Kidman Way and Coleambally’s events will begin at 1.15pm from John McInnes Square. All members of the community are invited to attend any, or all, of these events.
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