Thousands Already on Way to WYD
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Only 50 days after registrations opened, more than 1,000 groups representing 65,000 participants have already enrolled for next year's World Youth Day in Sydney, organizers say.

Organizers say they are delighted with the response, which indicates more than 65,000 pilgrims are already planning to attend the event from 15-20 July next year.

"Eventually, we're expecting around 200,000 people to formally register and up to 500,000 to attend at least one event during the week," said WYD Chief Operating Officer Danny Casey in a statement.

 

"So it's very encouraging to see more than 1,000 groups representing 65,000 pilgrims already registering to attend at this early stage."

Group registrations opened on 2 March - 500 days before the start of World Youth Day 2008 - to give WYD08 organizers a guide to expected demand for accommodation, catering and transport.

"Individual registrations will open in July; this is when pilgrims will have to provide individual details and can start making payments for their packages," Mr Casey said.

According to the statement, the US is the biggest source of groups, with 375 registrations, and pilgrims so far. Australia is next with 146 groups, representing 15,484 pilgrims.

 

The next biggest source countries are Canada (with 42 groups), Germany (34 groups), and the Philippines (25) - all previous WYD host nations, the statement added.

Almost 50,000 pilgrims (77 per cent) have nominated English as their preferred language, with 6,506 nominating Spanish (10 per cent) and 2601 preferring German (4 per cent).

WYD Cross in Gizo

Meanwhile, reports are emerging from earthquake and tsunami ravaged Gizo in the Solomon Islands concerning the visit of the WYD Cross and Icon of Our Lady.

"We welcome the Cross and Mary his mother who stood by the Cross in his moments of suffering and death", said Bishop Bernard O'Grady.

"All of us have been suffering very much. Our suffering today is joined with the suffering of Christ and the Cross.

"The Cross is the symbol of the reality that we have been going through and together with the Icon of our Blessed Mother, a very special painting, we celebrate reconciliation, peace, forgiveness, joy and hope", Bishop O'Grady concluded before a crowd of hundreds of local people.


SOURCE
1000+ groups register for World Youth Day 2008 in first 50 days (WYD08, 28/4/07)

Only 50 days after registrations opened, more than 1,000 groups representing 65,000 participants have already enrolled for next year's World Youth Day in Sydney, organizers say.

Organizers say they are delighted with the response, which indicates more than 65,000 pilgrims are already planning to attend the event from 15-20 July next year.

"Eventually, we're expecting around 200,000 people to formally register and up to 500,000 to attend at least one event during the week," said WYD Chief Operating Officer Danny Casey in a statement.

 

"So it's very encouraging to see more than 1,000 groups representing 65,000 pilgrims already registering to attend at this early stage."

Group registrations opened on 2 March - 500 days before the start of World Youth Day 2008 - to give WYD08 organizers a guide to expected demand for accommodation, catering and transport.

"Individual registrations will open in July; this is when pilgrims will have to provide individual details and can start making payments for their packages," Mr Casey said.

According to the statement, the US is the biggest source of groups, with 375 registrations, and pilgrims so far. Australia is next with 146 groups, representing 15,484 pilgrims.

 

The next biggest source countries are Canada (with 42 groups), Germany (34 groups), and the Philippines (25) - all previous WYD host nations, the statement added.

Almost 50,000 pilgrims (77 per cent) have nominated English as their preferred language, with 6,506 nominating Spanish (10 per cent) and 2601 preferring German (4 per cent).

WYD Cross in Gizo

Meanwhile, reports are emerging from earthquake and tsunami ravaged Gizo in the Solomon Islands concerning the visit of the WYD Cross and Icon of Our Lady.

"We welcome the Cross and Mary his mother who stood by the Cross in his moments of suffering and death", said Bishop Bernard O'Grady.

"All of us have been suffering very much. Our suffering today is joined with the suffering of Christ and the Cross.

"The Cross is the symbol of the reality that we have been going through and together with the Icon of our Blessed Mother, a very special painting, we celebrate reconciliation, peace, forgiveness, joy and hope", Bishop O'Grady concluded before a crowd of hundreds of local people.


SOURCE
1000+ groups register for World Youth Day 2008 in first 50 days (WYD08, 28/4/07)

 

US leads Australia in WYD registrations


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

World Youth Day registrations from the US are outpacing those from Australia, organisers say, with 27,000 Americans on the books compared to 20,000 Australians in a total of more than 80,000 people who have put their names down for the Sydney event.

Australian registrations from 240 groups for World Youth Day in Sydney from 15-20 July 2008 are coming a close second to the United States, which leads the charge with nearly 27,000 pilgrims from over 400 groups, according to a WYD media release.

France, Germany and Venezuela round out the top five to date.

"We are delighted with the current numbers," said Danny Casey, Chief Operating Officer, WYD08.

"Although individual registrations and payments will not be accepted until July, these figures show momentum is building internationally and domestically," Mr Casey said.

"With indications of 80,000 pilgrims in just 10 weeks, we are confident of reaching our estimate of 200,000 formal registrations."

Meanwhile, Matangitonga reports that the World Youth Day cross and icon of Mary will be carried throughout Tongatapu later this month.

Fr Niukasolo Niukapu, the Youth Chaplain of the Catholic Diocese of Tonga, said that the 3.8 meters high and 131-pounds cross, and the Icon of Mary will arrive in Tonga on 22 May and they will be "welcomed at Catholic Cathedral at Ma'ufanga with a Tonga traditional ceremony.

"The cross as well as the icon will be carried by catholic youth students on foot throughout Nuku'alofa, then they will move in procession to the western, central and eastern districts. On the way they will stop at 52 stations for prayers and meditations."

Father Niukalasolo said that the cross is currently in Tahiti before coming to Tonga and after Tonga it will go to Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, then New Zealand before concluding its pilgrimage in Australia on July 15 for the start World Youth Day celebration, which will be attended by Pope Benedict XVI and about 500,000 pilgrims.

CathNews 15 May 2007