(ANS – San Paolo) – At the Campo de Marte Military Airport, in San Paolo, over 100,000 young people gathered to celebrate the “Bote Fé” (Have faith) Festival and to participate in the official launch of World Youth Day planned in 2013 at Rio de Janeiro. Things began on Sunday 18 September at 9.00 and reached their climax with Mass at which the Archbishop of San Paolo, Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer presided.

Having arrived at 9.00 they were still there twelve hours  later. During the day there were expressions of the Christian faith, prayer moments and sacraments, accompanied by music by various groups and Catholic singers and personal accounts by youngsters who had taken part in the Madrid World Youth Day.

Mass was at 16.00 and in his homily Cardinal Scherer told the young people: “You have come together to welcome the Cross of Jesus Christ who comes to you himself and the Icon of the Virgin Mary, his Mother and our Mother. Let us rejoice in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our life and resurrection; The one who has saved and freed us.”

The Cardinal also said: “Try to bring many people to Christ, like the apostles and many others have before us. Try to be disciples and missionaries to pass on to others the enthusiasm, the glory and the strength of the faith. Proclaim Jesus to other young people in Brazil. This is the favourable time to promote the new evangelisation and to transmit the  heritage of the faith to the new generation.”

On the same day the official site was unveiled of the WYD in Rio de Janeiro – http://www.jmjrio2013.com.br/ – which provides information and it was immediately swamped..

The Icon and the Cross, carried by the young people will go on a tour of the 275 dioceses of Brazil before WYD begins in Rio de Janeiro. In addition in December 2012, it will begin to visit Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina, before returning to Brazil in January  2013.

“We are beginning this pilgrimage which will reach its summit in 2013. But World Youth Day in Brazil is beginning now. For Jesus and his gospel we want to reach a great level of joy. Congratulations to you young people for being the ones to open the doors to World Youth Day,” said Bishop Pinheiro da Silva SDB, President of the Brazilian Bishops’ Youth Ministry Commission.

The Bishops’ Youth Ministry Commission and the National Bishops’ Conference, in collaboration with various Catholic  organisations are also launching the first of three special CD doe WYD 2013. Entitled “En el pecho llevo una Cruz”, the album contains 13 hymns about the Cross and Mary,  well-known among Catholics.

Published 21/09/2011