Pilgrim Profile

Is this pilgrimage right for you?

Participating in World Youth Day requires a certain level of personal, spiritual, and physical preparation.

To ensure a positive, safe, and enriching experience for everyone, participants are asked to carefully assess their ability to undertake an international pilgrimage of this scale.

WYD involves, in particular:

  • long days and a lot of walking;

  • a strong ability to adapt and live in a group;

  • demanding schedules;

  • times of prayer, formation, and intercultural encounters;

  • an attitude of openness, collaboration, and respect toward other pilgrims.

Age of Pilgrims

World Youth Day is a pilgrimage designed for young adults aged 18 to 35.

In accordance with the guidelines of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) for Canadian participation in World Youth Day, the minimum age is 18. 

Adults aged 36 and older are welcome to join the group as spiritual companions—walking alongside the pilgrims and supporting the young adult leadership team.

Expected Attitude

  • A pilgrim’s spirit rather than that of a mere tourist;
  • A willingness to grow personally and spiritually;
  • An ability to live in community with respect, maturity, and kindness;
  • An openness to guidance and instructions from the leadership team.
  • Pastoral Discernment

Stability and ability to undertake the pilgrimage:

We therefore encourage participants to consider the following:

Physical Health

Be able to participate in a program involving walking, travel, heat, fatigue, and a sustained pace.

Mental and emotional health

Having the necessary resources to cope with a group setting, occasional stress, unexpected events, and cultural adaptation.

Spiritual life

Demonstrating a sincere openness to the pilgrimage experience, prayer, community life, and the mission proposed within the framework of World Youth Day.

Discernment

In some cases, additional support and accompaniment may be required to ensure that the pilgrimage is well-suited to the person’s needs and situation, with the well-being of all participants in mind. This is important especially for pilgrims with special needs.