Schedule of events

During the week you will spend time in two different places - the first three days outside of Poznan with families in the parishes of Greater Poland region, next two days you will gather in Poznan together with the Polish youth and other pilgrims from abroad. We are waiting for you!

The cost of participation is 30 euros per person (transportation to the diocese is not included). Payment for the entire group should be made to a foreign currency account.

Information

What you must know about our archdiocese, Jordan, the land and the city of Poznan.


World Youth Day

The Pope. The Youth. Christ.

The theme of XXXI World Youth Day Krakow 2016 is: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’ (Mt 5:7).

Our Holy Father Francis has chosen the fifth of the eight Beatitudes given by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, to show the importance of the Beatitudes which are at the heart of Jesus’ teaching.

In his first Sermon, Jesus presents us with eight examples of qualities that bring us closer to the Kingdom of God.

Dear young friends, we have an appointment for the next World Youth Day in 2016 in Cracow, in Poland!

The idea of WYD

Everything you need to know.

What is WYD?

World Youth Day is celebrated on Palm Sunday in dioceses around the world. Every two or three years an international meeting is held which lasts about a week.

What is WYD message?

The WYD is constantly giving the world a living testimony of faith and showing the face of Christ present in every young man. Young people are the heroes of this great meeting of faith, hope and unity.

How did it begin?

In 1984 and 1985 there were two meetings of young people from the Pope. First on the occasion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Redemption, and the second International Youth Day, but they were not officially WYD.

The official beginning

A few months after the second meeting, during a Christmas meeting of Cardinals, Pope John Paul II expressed his wish to hold the World Youth Day every year. The date of December 20, 1985 is regarded as day that World Youth Day was established officially .

Where was the WYD previously held?

International meetings have already been held in Rome, Buenos Aires, Santiago de Compostela, Czestochowa, Denver, Manila, Paris, Toronto, Cologne, Sydney, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro.

Community, formation and joy of faith

The established objective of the World Youth Days is to experience the great community of the Universal Church, listen to the Word of God, receive the sacraments of penance and the Eucharist as well as joyfully preaching Jesus Christ as the Lord and Saviour.

WYD theme

The theme of annual meetings is determined by the Holy Father himself who directs a message to young people. During the international WYDs, the content is expanded to three meetings called the catechesis triduum.

How long is the WYD?

The first part of the WYD is "Days in Dioceses" during which the youth stay in different areas of the host country; the second is the "Central Events" which are held in 2016 in Cracow.

What is the objective of the Days in Dioceses?

It is a time for friendship, fellowship, integration, and familiarizing with the culture of the region. It includes tourist trips, common games, and social involvement in various works and projects prepared by the organizers.

Who welcomes the youth?

Young pilgrims from around the world are welcomed by families who previously declared their hospitality. You can take a look at the plan of the days below. The final plan is determined by the local community.

Before WYD

Climbing to the top.

Prayer

„God, merciful Father, in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman”. We entrust to you in a special way young people of every language, people and nation: guide and protect them as they walk the complex paths of the world today and give them the grace to reap abundant fruits from their experience of the Krakow World Youth Day. Heavenly Father, grant that we may bear witness to your mercy. Teach us how to convey the faith to those in doubt, hope to those who are discouraged, love to those who feel indifferent, forgiveness to those who have done wrong and joy to those who are unhappy. Allow the spark of merciful love that you have enkindled within us become a fire that can transform hearts and renew the face of the earth. Mary, Mother of Mercy, pray for us. Saint John Paul II, pray for us. Saint Faustina, pray for us."

Spiritual preparation:

On Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014 we received the symbols of the WYD from the Holy Father and the Brazilian youth - the World Youth Day Cross and the Icon of Our Lady Salus Populi Romani. On Monday, April 14, began a 20-day journey of the WYD symbols, inaugurating the pilgrimage of the symbols in Poland. The Cross and the Icon reached more than 100 different places in our Archdiocese, visiting parishes, schools, universities, hospitals, hospices, prisons, squares, markets and streets of Wielkopolska cities. The WYD symbols gathered countless of people, both young and old, who wanted to pray for a good preparation and participation in the WYD.
Unfortunately, due to the time constraints of the pilgrimage of the original WYD Symbols, they could not reach each place in every diocese. Therefore,right after the end of the World Youth Day Cross and Icon stay in Poland, began the pilgrimage of the three copies of the WYD symbols in the Archdiocese of Poznan. By July 2016 they will have visited all the parishes. In each of them they will stay for several days.
Every year on St. Stanislaus Kostka’s Day, the patron of young people, a Youth Day takes place in our diocese. For the last two years we have organized a youth pilgrimage to Rome for the World Youth Day. It is a joyful time of demonstrating our faith. Also, the "March for Jesus", concerts, worship and the Holy Mass with our bishops have been placed in the schedule of the Youth Day.
Preparatory meetings for the Days in the Diocese are held every Wednesday in the parish of St. Stanislaus Kostka. All meetings are based on the most important, that is contact with God. We start at 19:30 with Vespers, then meet in small groups to reflect on a passage from the Holy Bible. After that we share the Word of God and discuss organizational matters. Each meeting concludes with the Holy Eucharist, followed by a less formal part of the meeting.
In many parishes, youth groups form to prepare for a good experience of the World Youth Day in Poland. Young people, under the supervision of animators - sometimes priests, sometimes lay people - reflect on biblical passages, pray and socialize. They also spend a lot of time thinking about how to best welcome the pilgrims during the Days in the Diocese.
Since October 2014, meetings have been held for volunteers preparing for service both in Krakow and Poznan. In our diocese they are co-ordinated by the Catholic Youth Association. Meetings are held every second Thursday of the month in the parish of Divine Mercy in Poznan. The residents of the south of our diocese participate in a formation on the second Friday of the month at the Parish of St. Nicholas in Leszno.
The idea of this action was born after the World Youth Day in Brazil, where the theme was: "Go and make disciples of all nations". On certain Sundays, a group of young people go to one of the deaneries to share their experience of a community and the meeting with the living Christ. At the end of the Sunday Mass, we encourage parishioners to pray for the WYD, for a good welcome of pilgrims and for building strong communities in the parishes.
In January 2014 we started a fasting practice for a good preparation and experience of the World Youth Day by the youth of our diocese and for the initiatives undertaken by young people and priests. Each of the willing people is appointed one day of the month, which will be offered for this intention. You are also invited to join the prayer.

Babtism book

Sign the baptism book, which will be offered on the altar during Commissioning Mass as thanksgiving for our baptism.