JMJ PILGRIMAGES PAKISTAN

In its first edition, at the diocesan level,Pope John Paul II introduced World Youth Day to young people and underlined its importance as a day of hope. “In Jesus Christ, God definitively entered the history of Mankind. You, young people, should find him first. You should find him constantly. World Youth Day means precisely this: to search for an encounter with God, who entered the history of Mankind through the Paschal mystery of Jesus Christ”, he said on Palm Sunday, 23 March 1986.

Around 900 thousand young people gathered in Buenos Aires, the city the Pope chose to host the first international celebration of WYD. In a country seeking to heal the wounds of a military dictatorship, which is still very much alive in the memory and lives of its citizens, the pilgrims listened to the Holy Father, asking them to be witnesses of God’s love. “Commit your youthful energy to build a civilization of love,” stressed John Paul II, who based his speech on 21 questions raised by the young participants..

In August 1989, around three months before the fall of the Berlin Wall, 600 thousand young people prayed for peace in Santiago de Compostela. “Discovering Christ, always again and always more fully, is the most wonderful adventure of our life,” said the Pope to the throng, also referring to the testimony of faith of Saint James and stressing the role of the Santiago Trail as “a pathway to conversion and a witness to faith.” In this edition of WYD, the Pope walked the last part of the trail to the Cathedral of Santiago. He went on foot with the support of a cane, like so many pilgrims.

in Częstochowa, Poland, not the 4th. Presided over by Pope John Paul II, it was the first World Youth Day to be held in a former communist country and the first to have large numbers of attendees from Eastern Europe. Over 1.6 million people gathered for the closing Mass, the celebration of WYD in 1991 was held in Poland, with a large participation of young people from Eastern Europe. In total, there were around one and a half million pilgrims. “After a long period of almost insurmountable frontiers, the Church in Europe can finally breathe with both lungs,” stated the Polish Pope.

It was in the streets of Denver that the Stations of the Cross were re-enacted for the first time at WYD. Since then, this celebration has been part of the official program. At this WYD in the United States, Pope John Paul II said that it was a “celebration of life” and made an appeal: “The Church needs your energies, your enthusiasm, your youthful ideals, to make the Gospel of life penetrate the fabric of society, transforming people’s hearts and the structures of society to create a civilization of true justice and love.”

The 10th World Youth Day was held in the Philippines, the country with the highest percentage of Catholics in Asia and one of the world’s most expressive. In the closing mass of WYD in Manila,over four million young people were present,many from social contexts characterized by poverty and inequality.“This is the message you should proclaim to the modern world: especially to the less fortunate,to those who have no home,to the outcasts, to the sick,the abandoned,to those who suffer at the hands of others.

During WYD in Paris, over half a million young people filled the streets of the French capital with joy and fraternity. Several innovations marked this edition: the inclusion of Days in the Dioceses (a gathering before the week of WYD) and the Youth Festival (a cultural and artistic program seeking to demonstrate the talent of young people in areas such as music or acting). At the end of the homily of the closing mass at the Longchamp Racecourse, John Paul II left the following message: “Dear young people, your path does not end here. Time does not stop today. Go forth now along the roads of the world, along the roads of humanity, staying united in the Church of Christ!”Master, where do you live? Come and see (Jn 1, 38:39)

Emmanuel, the WYD anthem of Rome in 2000, has become one of the most popular ever, inspiring millions of young people worldwide. At WYD in Rome, Pope John Paul II also introduced the icon of Our Lady Salus Populi Romani, which remained at the altar in Tor Vergata, where the vigil and mass took place. This icon has become one of the symbols of World Youth Day and the Cross. More than two million young people participated in this celebration of WYD in the Jubilee of the year 2000 and listened to John Paul II, who talked about the love of God: “Yes, dear friends, Christ loves us, and he loves us forever! He loves us even when we disappoint him and fail to meet his expectations. He never fails to embrace us in his mercy.”

In the last WYD presided over by Pope John Paul II, His Holiness asked the young people again to commit themselves to building a more compassionate and fraternal world. “With your faith, hope, and love, with your intelligence, strength, and perseverance, you must humanize the world in which we live,” said the Holy Father, at a time when everyone had in mind the September 11 attacks, which had occurred less than a year ago. A few months later, the WYD Cross traveled to Ground Zero in New York, where the terrorist attacks took place, bringing hope and encouragement to the city’s inhabitants.An estimated 800,000 people attended.

It was the first World Youth Day for Pope Benedict XVI, and the event featured a concluding Mass with an attendance of over a million young people from around the world. A central focus of the event was the adoration of Christ and the importance of the Eucharist. The first World Youth Day, presided over by Pope Benedict XVI, was held in Germany, his native country. The Holy Father was received on the banks of the Rhine by a multitude of young people – he arrived by boat, an image that many immediately associated with the ship of Peter. Benedict XVI also brought a moment of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament to the WYD vigil.

Around half a million pilgrims from over 200 countries and more than 600 bishops worldwide participated in the vigil and closing mass of the first WYD in Oceania. In Sydney, Pope Benedict XVI administered the sacrament of confirmation to 24 young people and invited all the participants to bear witness to the faith. “Nothing can ever be the same for those who have received this gift! Being “baptized” in the one Spirit means being set on fire with the love of God. Being “given to drink” of the Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 12:13) means being refreshed by the beauty of the Lord’s plan for us and for the world, and becoming, in turn, a source of spiritual refreshment for others”, he stressed. In this edition in Australia, WYD became available on social networks.

World Youth Day (WYD) 2011 was a Catholic youth event held in Madrid, Spain. attended by around two million pilgrims, flooded the streets of the Spanish capital with joy and hope against the backdrop of the European recession. The vigil with the Pope was marked by heavy rain, which did not discourage the throng of young people gathered at the Cuatro Vientos aerodrome. The next morning, the participants who had stayed overnight listened to Benedict XVI, who stated that “faith is not limited to providing information about Christ’s identity, but rather assumes a personal relationship with Him.”Attended by an estimated one to two million people from around 193 countries, the event was presided over by Pope Benedict XVI, with the theme "Firm in the faith".

World Youth Day (WYD) 2013 was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from July 23 to July 28, 2013. The event, which was the 28th World Youth Day, was organized by the Catholic Church and drew millions of young people.Rio de Janeiro was the host city, and Pope Francis presided over the event, making it his first apostolic journey as pope and the first time a South American pope hosted a World Youth Day in South America.The event was noted for its large attendance, with some reports estimating over three million people for the final vigil and closing Mass. It was the second time WYD was held in South America, the first being in Argentina in 1987.The main events, including the welcoming ceremony, Way of the Cross, and final Mass, were held at Copacabana Beach.

World Youth Day (WYD) 2016 was a Catholic youth event held in Kraków, Poland, from July 26 to July 31, 2016. It was the 15th World Youth Day and had the theme "Blessed are the Merciful, for they shall receive Mercy," which aligned with the Jubilee of Mercy declared by the Catholic Church. The event featured activities such as the opening Mass, catechisms, concerts, and was presided over by Pope Francis.It was the third World Youth Day to be held in Central Europe.Kraków was chosen partly because it is the home of Saint John Paul II and Saint Faustina Kowalska, who are both significant figures of mercy.Pope Francis attended the event and addressed the young people, encouraging them to be merciful and courageous.

World Youth Day (WYD) 2019 was the 16th international iteration of the event, hosted in Panama City, Panama, from January 22 to 27, 2019. The event, organized by the Catholic Church, brought together hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims from around the world, featuring Pope Francis's third attendance at a WYD.Pope Francis met with Panamanian authorities, consecrated the altar of the Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria la Antigua, visited a home for the sick and disabled (House of the Good Samaritan), and met with young detainees.A meditative procession held at the Campo Santa Maria La Antigua, presided over by Pope Francis.An overnight vigil with Pope Francis at Metro Park (Campo San Juan Pablo II) attended by around 600,000 young people.

World Youth Day 2023 was held in Lisbon, Portugal, from August 1st to 6th, and was organized by the Catholic Church. The event, which was attended by over one million young people from around the world, included activities like catechesis, prayer, celebrations with the Pope, and cultural events.The week included welcoming ceremonies, the Stations of the Cross, a youth festival, a final vigil, and a closing Mass presided over by Pope Francis.The main theme for World Youth Day 2023, held in Lisbon, Portugal, was "Mary arose and went with haste" (Luke 1:39). This theme from the Gospel of Luke refers to Mary's quick journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth, inspiring young people to become courageous missionaries who are eager to respond to God's call with trust and joy.

Pope Francis chose John 16:33 as the theme for World Youth Day Seoul 2027.This verse, spoken by Jesus to his disciples at the Last Supper, reminds us of the irrevocable truth that despite the challenges of the world,Christ has already conquered fear,sin and death. It is a call to hope and courage rooted in faith in the resurrection—not a passive optimism, but a bold confidence grounded in the living presence of Christ.Young people across the globe today are confronted with a wide range of challenges,including conflicts,economic hardship and an uncertain future."Take courage! I have overcome the world"is a declaration of peace and assurance from Jesus to His followers,acknowledging that while the world will bring tribulation, His victory over it is a source of comfort and courage for them.The verse promises inner peace through faith in Christ,despite external hardships and challenges.

Pope Leo XIV announced the location and dates at the closing Mass of the Jubilee of Youth on August 3, 2025 and will be led by Pope Leo XIV..It is the first World Youth Day to be held in a Christian-minority country.The week-long festival will include a welcome ceremony for the Pope, catechetical sessions, and a final Sending Mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV, where he will announce the location for the next World Youth Day.The theme is intended to encourage young people to be witnesses of Christ's victory over evil and death.Thankfully, at WYD Seoul 2027, they can receive the joy of becoming the “salt of the earth and the light of the world.” Through their encounters with one another they will experience unconditional love, thereby gaining the strength to be sent back out into the world as “pilgrims of hope” and “courageous missionaries,” boldly putting into practice the joy of the Gospel they have discovered.