Four years after WYD in Panama, the youth pilgrimage runs towards Lisbon

Four years following the last international WYD, the anniversary of which is being celebrated currently in Panama, the young people are on the final straights of their pilgramage to Lisbon, where they will meet, together with their bishops, the Holy Father Francis and their peers from all across the world.

Anniversary of Panama 2019

On the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the Panama Gathering (22-27 of January 2019) attended by young people from almost 160 countries, the organisers of the next WYD Lisbon 2023 – led by the General Coordinator, Msgr. Américo Aguiar – travelled to Panama. There, together with the Archbishop of Panama, Mgr José Ulloa Mendieta, they took part in the celebration of the 350th anniversary of the transfer of Panama City and the Metropolitan Cathedral, and met with the local committee preparing World Youth Day 2019.

A renewed website and the journey of the WYD Cross

On the occasion of this fourth anniversary and with less than 200 days to go before WYD Lisbon, the official website https://www.lisboa2023.org/ has also been revamped, and is now available in 5 languages, where you can find more information on the spiritual and logistical preparations, as well as on the pilgramage of the World Youth Day symbols; the Cross and Icon, which have been visiting the different Portuguese dioceses since March 2022. Currently, the symbols can be found in the Archdiocese of Braga. 

Registration of Participants

World Yourh Day, whose theme this year is “Mary arose and went with haste”, is an important event in the agenda of youth pastoral work around the world. This is confirmed by preliminary data from the registration system, according to which to date the intention to participate in WYD has already been declared by young people from 180 countries and almost 200 bishops (with numbers growing every day). Among those registered are also pilgrims who, in addition to participating in the WYD programme, want to share their talents and charisma during the Youth Festival, which is part of the official programme of the event. For them, the suggested registration deadline is February 5th.