After delivering his weekly Sunday Catechesis and praying the Angelus with the crowd gathered in St Peter’s Square, Pope Francis declared: “Registration opens today for World Youth Day, which will take place in Panama in January 2019.”
With the help of two young people on either side, Pope Francis registered himself for the event.
“There,” he said, “I am now enrolled as a pilgrim to World Youth Day. I invite all young people around the world to live this event of grace and fraternity with faith and enthusiasm, either by going to Panama or by participating in their communities.
World Youth Day will take place in Panama from 22-27 January 2019.
Pilgrims can now register online here, just like the Pontiff did.
It was Pope Francis who chose Panama to be the host of the next World Youth Day. He made the announcement as he wrapped up the 2016 World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland.
Ordinarily held sometime in the northern hemisphere's summer months, in 2019 it will take place January 22–27, to avoid Panama’s rainy season.
The theme for the 34th World Youth Day in Pamana is: “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38).
The verse comes from Luke’s Gospel account of the birth of Jesus being foretold, when the angel Gabriel came to Mary announcing that she would conceive and bear a son that she would call ‘Jesus’. The verse addresses Mary’s willingness to surrender herself to the God’s will and to His plan for her life.
The 11th of February is World Day of the Sick, an observation introduced by Pope John Paul II as a way for believers to offer prayers for those suffering from illnesses.
The Theme for this year’s Day of the Sick is provided by the worlds that Jesus spoke to Mary, His Mother, and to John: “Woman, behold your son… Behold your Mother. And from that house the disciple took her into his home.”
After greeting newly-confirmed young people from Italy, Pope Francis concluded his Sunday Catechesis by addressing the sick.
Invoking Our Lady Helper of the Sick he prayed that they might “find comfort in body and spirit, thanks to adequate health care and the fraternal charity that knows how to give concrete and supportive attention to those in need.”
With the next World Youth Day less than a year away, everything you need to know about Panama 2019, including event schedules, can be found here.