World Youth Day 2011

This year, World Youth Day, a youth-oriented event held every three years, will be celebrated in Madrid, Spain. The event lasts for one week and this year it goes from August 16-21 in Madrid’s Cibeles Square. It raises awareness about the Catholic religion and extends out to youth around the entire world.

World Youth Day was established by Pope John Paul II in 1985. The event is a worldwide interaction with the Pope and is an amazing experience for people to admire the Catholic Church. It is designed for people ages 16-35, regardless of their religion, and there are often thousands of people who attend the event from all different countries.

For every World Youth Day event, there is a cultural agenda planned in conjunction with events involving the Pope. The cultural program includes concerts, plays, museum visits and many more fun activities. Some of the events in the agenda for today include a Papal Meeting at the Monastery of El Escorial, which is a gathering in the Basilica with 1,000 young college professors. At 7:30 p.m, Via Crucis will take place. During Via Crucis, statues from all over Spain will be used to depict each section of the cross. These are just a few of the scheduled events that take place during World Youth Day.

People interested in attending the event can register online at madrid11.com/inscribete. There is also a website dedicated to educating people on the theme of this particular World Youth Day. Once registered, visitors will be provided with a place to stay, including sports centers or private residences. You can also make a financial contribution to the Solidarity Fund, which will aid young people living in countries with limited resources.

World Youth Day’s purpose is to celebrate the unification  and presence of various cultures. It is possible to attend the event in pilgrimages, which can be planned independently or through a church. It is strongly recommended to take advantage of this option because pilgrimage companies will plan out all elements of your journey and can be very helpful for people traveling to foreign countries.

Photo by Catholic Westminster via flickr