World Youth Day to be cancelled if the Pope cannot make it

Not without Francis

High stakes: The World Youth Day in Lisbon at the beginning of August is to be cancelled if Pope Francis cannot come. This was explained by the organisers of the large-scale Catholic meeting at the presentation of the programme.

This is reported by the portal ACI Digital (Friday). Pope Francis underwent intestinal surgery on Wednesday. The 86-year-old is still being treated at Rome's Gemelli Clinic.

Pope to meet world's youth

The World Youth Day (WYD) is a meeting of the Pope with the youth of the world, explained the President of the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation, Auxiliary Bishop Americo Aguiar. It would therefore only ever take place with the Pope himself, "regardless of possible physical limitations". No one sees a way in which the Pope could be represented by someone else. Therefore, there is no Plan B, said the bishop, but only "Plan F" for Francis.

The World Youth Day will take place from 1 to 6 August in Portugal's capital Lisbon, and more than one million young people from all over the world are expected to attend. Pope Francis plans to be there from 2 to 6 August. On Tuesday, the Vatican published the planned programme. After the usual meetings with political and church representatives of the country on the first day of the trip, the focus will be on meetings with young people, including students of a Catholic university or participants in a papal training programme. Francis is also expected to meet representatives of aid organisations.

Extensive programme planned

On the second day of the trip, the Pope will officially open World Youth Day. The ceremony on Thursday evening will take place in the largest park in the Portuguese capital. The following day, according to the programme, Francis will offer confession to some young people and have lunch with young people. He will also take part in a Stations of the Cross in the evening. An evening prayer on Saturday and a mass on Sunday morning will conclude the 37th World Youth Day.

On Saturday, Francis is also expected to make a short trip to the Marian shrine of Fatima. Portugal's most famous place of pilgrimage is located almost 130 kilometres north of Lisbon. There, in 1917, three shepherd children reported that Mary, the Mother of God, had appeared to them several times. During his visit, the Pope wants to pray with sick young people in the shrine's chapel of apparitions.

Source

Cathcon: This is where these constant journeyings have gotten us-  the Pope's presence becomes necessary for the encounter with Jesus Christ.