RADIO VATICANA REPORT: The theme of next year’s World Youth Day to be celebrated by local Churches is: "Always be joyful in the Lord!", taken from the Letter of St Paul the Apostle to the Philippians (4:4), while World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro will have as its motto the Lord’s command at the end of the Gospel according to St Matthew: "Go and make disciples of all nations" (cf. Mt 28:19).
Pope Benedict XVI announced the themes during his weekly General Audience in Castel Gandolfo.
Before announcing the themes of the upcoming World Youth Day celebrations to pilgrims gathered this Wednesday in the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at Castel Gandolfo for his weekly General Audience, Pope Benedict XVI looked back on recently completed visit to Madrid for World Youth Day.
Speaking to the faithful at the Papal Summer residence in the hills outside Rome, Pope Benedict reminisced about 4-day trip to Spain, during which he met with seminarians and young women religious, young university professors, young people with disabilities, and young volunteers, along with over a million young people from every part of the globe who heard the Pope’s call for “resolute, but prudent” witness to Christ’s Gospel for the transformation of societies and the salvation of the world, on Thursday shortly after his arrival, and again at the concluding Mass on Sunday.
“The gathering at Madrid was,” he said, “a stupendous manifestation of faith for Spain and for the whole world.”
The Pope went on to greet pilgrims in many languages, including English:
I warmly greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors here today. Having just returned from Madrid, I greet affectionately the young people present, especially those who were with me for the unforgettable celebration of World Youth Day. I also welcome those present from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and the United States. May God bless all of you and remain with you for ever!
World Youth Day in Rio is scheduled to take place from July 8th to July 13th, 2013.
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