From 19th July to 8th August, 25,000 young people from Europe, Asia and the Americas will stop over in Lourdes on the way to World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal.
For all these young people, the Lourdes stopover will be both a time to discover the story of Saint Bernadette and the Apparitions, and a time of introduction to the theme of WYD, put forward by Pope Francis: “Mary got up and left in haste”.
For the occasion, the Sanctuary of Lourdes is swinging into action and adapting its daily programme (international mass for young people, specific times of praise and discovery, Bernadette Musical recital, etc.), and is also offering all these visiting groups the opportunity to participate to the “great classics”: the Lourdes gestures, Eucharistic procession and Marian torchlight procession.
Daily programme in Lourdes
10:30 a.m.: Welcome and praise at the Youth Tent
10:45 a.m.: Procession to the Grotto
11:00 a.m.: International youth mass at the Grotto
12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Lunch in the Forest room
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Praise and presentation of pastoral activities at the Youth Tent
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.: Journey through the sanctuary and the city of Lourdes
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Personal prayer time
5:00 p.m.: Eucharistic procession
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.: Dinner in the Forest Room
9:00 p.m.: Torchlight Marian procession
Bernadette of Lourdes special programme for young people
A pilgrim's booklet
The Sanctuary’s Youth Service will be offering young people who stop over in Lourdes, a pilgrim’s booklet (in four languages) “to find out about or explore further the three dimensions of our faith”:
The personal and intimate dimension: “I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you with me.” (Rev. 3:20)
The community dimension: “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.” (1 Thess. 3:12)
The universal dimension: “There was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.” (Rev.7:9)
(D. Maxence, Pilgrim’s booklet WYD 2023).
“Mary set out and went with haste” (Lk. 1:39)
“In that mountain village, Jesus, by his mere presence and without uttering a word, preached his first “Sermon on the Mount”. He silently proclaimed the beatitude of the poor and the meek who trust in God’s mercy,” says Pope Francis in his message for the XXXVII World Youth Day. Young people, by their mere presence in the Church, are witnesses to the hope and love of God.
“Dear young people, it is my dream that at World Youth Day you will be able to experience anew the joy of encountering God and our brothers and sisters. After a long period of social distancing and isolation, we will all rediscover in Lisbon – with God’s help – the joy of a fraternal embrace between peoples and generations, an embrace of reconciliation and peace, an embrace of new missionary fraternity! May the Holy Spirit kindle in your hearts a desire to “arise” and the joy of journeying together, in synodal fashion, leaving behind all false frontiers. Now is the time to arise! Like Mary, let us “arise and go in haste”. Let us carry Jesus within our hearts, and bring him to all those whom we meet! In this beautiful season of your lives, press ahead and do not postpone all the good that the Holy Spirit can accomplish in you! With affection, I bless your dreams and every step of your journey.”
(Pope Francis Message for the XXXVII WYD 2023)
