Report on the World Youth Day through the eyes of a Goan youth
The World Youth Day 2023 (WYD23) was held in Lisbon, Portugal from 1st to 6th August 2023. Prior to the WYD23 there were ‘Days in the Diocese’. From Goa we were group of 64 (including 10 priests). From India there were many groups who participated in the WYD23. We were under CCBI youth commission and Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM).
Our Voyage to Portugal Began on 25th July 2023 from Goa to Delhi, and from Delhi to Lisbon via Istanbul on 26th July 2023. We landed in Lisbon at 6pm local time, from there bus was arranged to take us to Porto Diocese. We Reached at Porto at 10.30 pm in the night where the local Parish community were waiting for our arrival. We got best of the welcome as I can clearly remember. They had prepared and cooked food for us and it was delicious. After that we were put into families which would take care of us for next 5 days. Some were put in community groups to stay.
From 26th to 31th July 2023 our Days in the Diocese was in Porto Diocese, there were many concerts, Inaugural Mass with Porto Archbishop, Sightseeing of the City and various other events. But for me what I liked and enjoyed the best was visiting the churches, taking the metro and roaming alone. In Porto I visited more than 10 different Catholic Churches. In the Evenings the host family used to take us for dinner outside for couple of times they cooked food for us at home. The amount of care, concern, support and love we got during those days cannot be forgotten and will be cherished for the rest of my life. Days in the Diocese were the Best Days
On 31st July 2023 we en-routed our Journey towards Lisbon for the World Youth Day 2023. But on the way we visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima, we prayed at the chapel of Apparitions, Saw the tombs of St Jacinta, St Lucia and St Francisco inside the Basilica. After our brief visit we continued our journey to Lisbon. We arrived at 6 pm and we were allotted at Public Indoor Stadium at School Almada Negreiros to stay for next 6 days.
From 1st to 6th August was the main World Youth Day 2023 during these days there were more than 250 events across Lisbon. Mainly it was divided into 3 categories: City of Joy, Youth Festival and Rise up meetings. Besides that during each day there was one main event.
1st Opening Mass by Archbishop of Lisbon.
2nd Rise up meeting at Various places.
3rd Welcome Ceremony with His Holiness Pope Francis.
4th Way of the Cross with His Holiness Pope Francis.
5th Evening Vigil with His Holiness Pope Francis.
6th Missionary/Concluding Mass with His Holiness Pope Francis And Archbishop of Lisbon.
During the WYD23 in Lisbon besides this events, I got to visit around 12 Catholic Churches in Lisbon of which the Two main Churches I visited were Cathedral of Lisbon and Church of St Anthony ( Birthplace of St Anthony of Padua). Travelling in metro and railways was fun and exciting part. I fortunately got chance to attend Taize Prayer, Synodal Talk of the Church, YouCat foundation, Talk on Youth in 5D. etc.
During the Concluding Mass His Holiness Pope Francis gave us an important message for the Youth “Do not be afraid, Carry on keep riding the waves of love, of charity and Be Surfers of Love ”. Pope Francis also declared the next world youth Day to be held in 2027 in Seoul, South Korea. But before that he invited all the youth to come to Rome in 2025 for the Jubilee year of Hope, from 28th July to 5th August 2025, So keep your dates fixed to go.
Our Journey to Return home began on 7th August from Portugal and we arrived in Goa on 8th August 2023 afternoon, with a lots of memories, friends and life changing encounters and experiences that will be cherished for the rest of our life. With that our Voyage to WYD23 came to an end.
Joel Alex Mendonsa
Arambol Parish Youth