It is fascinating that the principal participant in the next WYD would be the 84-year-old Benedict XVI, older than papa Wojtyla was on his last WYD in Toronto... This item from the WYD official site confirms that the Holy Father's meeting yesterday with the Archbishop of Madrid and president of the Spanish boshops' conference would have had to do with preparations for the Pope's visit in August.
Pope gets WYD knapsack
Translated from the WYD site
Madrid, Feb. 14 - Last year, the Pope received the WYD 2011 official cap. Yesterday, he received the second typical accessory for the youth event: the knapsack, which is given to every registered participant.
This year, it contains a rosary, a pilgrim's guidebook, a guide to WYD events, the YOUCAT (Youth Catechism) specially prepared for this WYD, a travel card that will enable them to use any of Madrid's public transports, a cap and a fan.
Registered participants will also have free access to all the cultural events related to WYD, priority access to WYD events themselves, and an insurance against accidents valid for the duration of WYD week.
Registrants are invited to help defray travel costs for young people from poorer nations by adding 10 euros to their registration fee.
The thick books given to the Pope seem to include the new Bible in its first-ever official translation to Spanish, under the auspices of the Spanish bishops' conference.
Six-month countdown
to WYD begins today
Translated from the WYD site
MADRID, Feb. 15 - The countdown to WYD 2011 crosses the six-month threshold today.
More than 260,000 persons have registered so far from more than 100 countries in the five continents. On Augusg 15, tens of thousands of young people will arrive in Madrid to begin an unforgettable week which will include four days with Pope Benedict XVI.
This week, the official website will provide more details on the smaller encounters to be held by the Pope such as those with seminarians, with young university professors adn with the WYD volunteers. This last is a new WYD feature which the Pope inaugurated at the end of his visit to Sydney for WYD 2008.
The final auditions for the WYD choir and orchestra will aso be held this week.
Accommodations are already being prepared for pilgrims, who cannot afford hotels. Many of them will stay with families in Madrid. Some 1, 200 families have already offered to welcome as many as 3,800 guests into their homes for WYD week.
The parishes of Madrid are at the center of the drive to recruit host families. In addition, there are 1,800 buildings (public and private schools, gymnasiums and sports centers, parish buildings) which will be available for lodging, most of them city and national institutions.
These include 479 educational centers and 72 sports centers, 50 private colleges, and 172 religious houses. Eighty percent of Madrid's 709 parishes are also providing free lodging spaces.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 16/02/2011 12:03]