World Youth Day 2000 in Rome

World Youth Day (commonly abbreviated to WYD) is a youth-oriented Catholic Church event. While the event itself celebrates the Catholic faith, the invitation to attend extends to all youth, regardless of religious convictions.^[1] World Youth Day is not associated with International Youth Day or any of the international observance days.

World Youth Day was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985. It is celebrated diocesan level annually, and at a week-long international level every two to three years at different locations. The international level events attract hundreds of thousands of youth from almost every country on the planet. It is a major part of the upsurge in Catholic Youth Work in some countries over recent years; for example, the Director of Catholic Youth Services for England and Wales has said of the event that it would have far-reaching effects, not restricted to those who attended.^[2]

The Church has officially designated Mother General of the Missionaries of Charity, Teresa of Calcutta and Pope, John Paul II as the Patron Saints of the event.

Traditional process[link]

World Youth Day is commonly celebrated in a way similar to many events. The most emphasized and well known traditional theme is the unity and presence of numerous different cultures. Flags and other national declarations are displayed amongst people to show their attendance at the events and proclaim their own themes of Catholicism. Such is usually done through chants and singing of other national songs involving a Catholic theme.

Over the course of the major events taking place, national objects are traded between pilgrims. Flags, shirts, crosses, and other Catholic icons are carried amongst pilgrims which are later traded as souvenirs to other people from different countries of the world. A unity of acceptance among people is also common, with all different cultures coming together to appreciate one another.

Other widely recognized traditions include the Pope's public appearance, commencing with his arrival around the city with the "Popemobile" and then with his final Mass held at the event. Such is the regard for the large distance of pilgrimage walks performed by the attenders of the event. One of the more recent festivals in Sydney recorded an estimated distance of a 10-kilometre walk as roads and other public transport systems were closed off.

Pope Benedict XVI has criticized the tendency to view WYD as a kind of rock festival; he stressed that the event should not be considered a "variant of modern youth culture" but as the fruition of a "long exterior and interior path".^[3]

World Youth Day 1995[link]

In the 1995 World Youth Day, 5 million youths gathered at Manila's Luneta Park in the Philippines, an event recognized as the largest crowd ever by the Guinness World Records.^[4] In an initial comment immediately following the event, Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, stated that over 4 million people had participated.^[5]

World Youth Day 2008[link]

The Archdiocese of Sydney was chosen as the host of the 2008 World Youth Day celebrations. At the time it was announced in 2005, WYD 2008 was commended by then Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, and the Archbishop of Sydney, George Cardinal Pell.^[6] World Youth Day 2008 was held in Sydney, with the Papal Mass held on the Sunday at Randwick Racecourse.

The week saw pilgrims from all continents participate in the Days in the Diocese program hosted by Catholic dioceses throughout Australia and New Zealand. Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Sydney on Sunday 13 July 2008 at Richmond Air Force Base. Cardinal George Pell celebrated the Opening Mass at Barrangaroo (East Darling Harbour) with other activities including the re-enactment of Christ's passion during the stations of the Cross and the Holy Father's boat cruise through Sydney Harbour. Pilgrims participated in a variety of youth festivities including visits to St Mary's Cathedral, daily Catechesis and Mass led by Bishops from all around the world, concerts, visits to the tomb of Blessed Mary MacKillop, the Vocations Expo at Darling Harbour, received the Sacrament of Reconciliation and prayed before the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration. The Mass and concert at Barangaroo saw an estimated crowd of 150,000.

The event attracted 250,000 foreign visiting pilgrims to Sydney, with an estimated 400,000 pilgrims attending Holy Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI on 20 July.^[7].

Crowd at Barangaroo, Sydney, for first day of WYD08 celebrations

In May 2007, it was reported that Guy Sebastian's song Receive the Power had been chosen as official anthem for the Roman Catholic Church's XXIII World Youth Day (WYD08) to be held in Sydney in 2008. The song was co written by Guy Sebastian and Gary Pinto, and also features the vocals of Paulini.^[8][9]

Receive the Power^[10] was used extensively throughout the 6 days of World Youth Day in July 2008, and also in the television coverage which went around the world.^[11]

In November 2008, a 200 page book named "Receive The Power" was launched to commemorate World Youth Day 2008.^[12]

There was controversy around issues of state government funding for WYD 2008, the venue chosen, the legislation on declared areas and statements by Bishop Anthony Fisher who claimed he had been misquoted.

World Youth Day 2011[link]

Following the celebration of Holy Mass at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on 20 July 2008, Pope Benedict XVI announced that the next International World Youth Day 2011 would be held in Madrid, Spain. This event was held from 16–21 August 2011.

There were nine official patron saints^[13] for World Youth Day 2011 in addition to Blessed John Paul II: St. Isidore, St. John of the Cross, St. Maria de la Cabeza, St. John of Avila, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Rose of Lima, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Rafael Arnaiz, and St. Francis Xavier, patron of world missions. During his address to seminarians, Pope Benedict XVI announced that the Spanish mystic and patron of Spanish diocesan clerics, St. John of Avila, will now be a "Doctor of the Church,"^[14] a designation granted to only 34 saints throughout the twenty centuries of Church history.

The event was judged to be a success, with an estimated 2,000,000 people at an all-night vigil to complete the week; a crowd figure very much higher than expected.

World Youth Day 2013[link]

The World Youth Day events have been spaced three years apart since 2002, but the Rio de Janeiro World Youth Day in 2013 will take place next year. Father Lombardi said the change was made to avoid the youth event coinciding with the FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Brazil in 2014.

Chronology of celebrations[link]

International[link]

Year	Date	Host	Attendance	Theme	Anthem	Mass
1984	15 April	Rome,  Vatican City	300,000	Holy Year of the Redemption: A Festival of Hope	Resta Qui Con Noi [Italian]	Holy Mass held at Piazza San Pietro Pope John Paul II entrusts the WYD Cross to the Youth
1985	31 March	Rome,  Vatican City	300,000	International Youth Year		Holy Mass held at Piazza San Pietro
1987	11 – 12 April	Buenos Aires,  Argentina	1,000,000	We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves (1 Jn 4:16)	Un Nuevo Sol [Spanish]	First WYD outside Europe
1989	15 – 20 August	Santiago de Compostela,  Spain	400,000	I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6)	Somos Los Jóvenes [Spanish]	Final Mass held at Monte do Gozo
1991	10 – 15 August	Częstochowa,  Poland	1,600,000	You have received a spirit of sonship (Rom 8:15)	Abba Ojcze [Polish Italian Spanish]	Final Mass held at Jasna Góra Monastery
1993	10 – 15 August	Denver, USA	500,000	I came that they might have life, and have it to the full (Jn 10:10)	(We Are) One Body [English]	Final Mass held at Cherry Creek State Park First WYD in North America and as of 2012 only WYD in USA
1995	10 – 15 January	Manila,  Philippines	5,000,000	As the Father sent me, so am I sending you (Jn 20:21)	Tell the World of His Love [English]	Final Mass held at Luneta Park Current world record for the largest Papal gathering First WYD in Asia
1997	19 – 24 August	Paris,  France[15]	1,200,000	Teacher, where are you staying? Come and see (cf. Jn 1:38–39)	Maître Et Seigneur [French]	Final Mass held at Longchamp Racecourse
2000	15 – 20 August	Rome,  Vatican City  Italy	2,000,000	The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14)	Emmanuel [Italian English French Spanish]	Final Mass held at Tor Vergata Held on the occasion of the Great Jubilee
2002	23 – 28 July	Toronto,  Canada	800,000	You are the salt of the earth ... you are the light of the world (Mt 5:13–14)	Lumière Du Monde/Light Of The World [French English Spanish Italian]	Final Mass held at Downsview Park Last WYD attended by Pope John Paul II First WYD in Canada
2005	16 – 21 August	Cologne,  Germany	1,200,000[16][17]	We have come to worship Him (Mt 2:2)	Venimus Adorare Eum [German Latin French Spanish English Italian]	Final Mass held at Marienfeld First WYD attended by Pope Benedict XVI
2008	15 – 20 July	Sydney,  Australia	400,000[18]	You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses. (Ac 1:8)	Receive The Power [English Italian Spanish French]	Final Mass held at Randwick Racecourse First WYD in Oceania Second WYD in Southern Hemisphere
2011	16 – 21 August	Madrid,  Spain[19]	1,400,000–2,000,000[20][21][22]	Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith (Col 2:7)[23]	Firmes en la Fe [Spanish English French Italian German Polish Hellenic]	Final mass held at Cuatro Vientos Airport Spain becomes the first country (outside the Vatican/Italy) to host WYD twice
2013	23 – 28 July	Rio de Janeiro,  Brazil[24]	TBD	Go and make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19)	TBD	WYD returns to South America after more than two decades

¹Attendance numbers reflect the total number at the closing Mass which includes many locals who attended only that one event. Unless otherwise referenced, the numbers are quoted from the USCCB website. ²This lists languages used in the main international version of the anthem. Local versions of the anthem in other languages (and alternate versions) may have also been produced.

Diocesan[link]

Typical schedule of events[link]

International Level[link]

Diocesan Level[link]

Events at Diocese-level celebrations are decided by a local team usually appointed by the Ordinary.

Since these celebrations usually occur during Palm Sunday, it almost always will include the Holy Mass of Passion Sunday – where Jesus' entry to Jerusalem in his final days is commemorated.

Music, prayer, reconciliation opportunities, as well as adoration of the Blessed Sacrament may also be part of the celebrations.

See also[link]

• International Youth Day
• International Youth Year
• Youth 2000

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: World Youth Day

• Official World Youth Day website
• Vatican World Youth Day website
• WYD Madrid 2011
• WYD Sydney 2008
• WYD page from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• World Youth Day Photo Slideshows, Themesongs and Small Movie (English/Dutch/German)
• In pictures: Pope ends Australia trip

v t e World Youth Day International level celebrations Pope John Paul II 1984 · 1985 · 1987 · 1989 · 1991 · 1993 · 1995 · 1997 · 2000 · 2002 Pope Benedict XVI 2005 · 2008 · 2011 · 2013

Assyrian flag

The Assyrian flag is the flag chosen by the Assyrian people to represent the Assyrian nation in the homeland and in the diaspora.

George Bit Atanus first designed the flag in 1968. The Assyrian Universal Alliance, Assyrian National Federation and Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party all adopted it in 1971. The flag has a white background with a golden circle at the center, surrounded by a four-pointed star in blue. Four triple-coloured (red-white-blue), widening, wavy stripes connect the center to the four corners of the flag. The Bet-Nahrain party added^{[citation needed]} the figure of pre-Christian Assyrian god, Assur known from Iron Age iconography in red above the center.

Symbolism[link]

The golden circle at the center that represents the sun, which, by its exploding and leaping flames, generates heat and light to sustain the earth and all its living things. The four pointed star surrounding the sun symbolizes the land, its light blue color symbolizing tranquility.

The wavy stripes extending from the center to the four corners of the flag represent the three major rivers of the Assyrian homeland: the Tigris, the Euphrates, and the Great Zab. The lines are small at the center and become wider as they spread out from the circle. The dark blue represents the Euphrates. The red stripes, whose blood red hue stands for courage, glory and pride, represent the Tigris. The white lines in between the two great rivers symbolizes the Great Zab; its white color stands for tranquility and peace. Some interpret the red, white and blue stripes as the highways that will take the scattered Assyrians back to their ancestral homeland.^[1] It is also said that when the stripes are reversed with the red stripes on top and the blue stripes on bottom, it symbolizes that the nation is at war.^{[dubious – discuss]}

The archer figure symbolizes the pre-Christian god Assur.^[2]

Previous flags[link]

Old Assyrian flag, prior to World War I

The Assyrian flag during World War I

Prior to World War I, the Assyrian flag consisted of 3 layers of salmon, white, and red. On the top left of the first layer, 3 white stars represented the three main Churches of the Assyrian people: Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, and Syriac Orthodox Church (it is also used by members of the Syriac Catholic Church). This flag was used during delegation meetings with Assyrian politicians and Western powers during and post World War I. The flag was used until the current design was established. The flag was created by the Syriac Orthodox community of Tur Abdin.^{[citation needed]}

Between 1915 and 1923, the Assyrian army used a flag that resembled the flag of Switzerland. It consisted of a red background, indicating the blood spilled by the Assyrians prior to and during World War I, and a white cross. The top left corner contained a round seal, which was Agha Petros's personal stamp. The seal had his name on it in two languages (Assyrian and Russian).

Gallery[link]

• 

  The Assyrian star in the 1968 flag is borrowed from the ancient Assyro-Babylonian symbol of Shamash.^[3]

• 

  The "feather-robed archer" figure in the 1968 flag is inspired by Assyrian Empire period iconography.

• 

  Star symbol in the Mor Gabriel monastery.

• 

  The flag of Iraq 1959-1963 included a red star symbolic of the Assyrian minority.

• 

  Chaldean flag proposed in December 1999^[4]

• 

  Syriac flag^[5]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Assyrian Information Management (AIM) - The Origins and Description of the Assyrian Flag
• Assyrian International News Agency (AINA)
• Assyrian flag at Flags of the World
• The Origins and Description of the Assyrian Flag