World Youth Day | Sydney, Australia
July 15-20, 2008

World Youth Day encompasses the events that take place in the week long Catholic celebration of youth from around the world all gathered together in the selected host city.

The events of World Youth Day officially began in 1986, but were preceded by other events inspired by Pope John Paul II. In its early years, World Youth Day really was a single day event. In the 1980s Catholic youth from around the world would gather in Rome on Palm Sunday at the invitation of Pope John Paul II. The enormous turn out disproved the idea that young people could not be depended on.

In 1985, the United Nations declared an “International Year of Youth,” which prompted Pope John Paul II to call for an official gathering of youth. It was at this celebration that the Pope entrusted with the youth a giant wooden cross, which we now know as “The World Youth Day Cross.”

World Youth Day was celebrated in a new city every other year, and in the intervening years it has been celebrated in Rome. Some of the more recent locations of World Youth Day have been: Cologne (2005), Toronto (2002), Rome (2000), Paris (1997), Manila(1995), Denver (1993)

In recent years World Youth Day has been hosted every third year, with the upcoming World Youth Day being hosted by Sydney, Australia in 2008. During the World Youth Day experience, youth from around the world are welcomed to the host city, gather and share a week together. They participate in daily Catechesis sessions, enjoy many exciting events, and conclude the week with a Mass celebrated by the Pope.