A unique pilgrimage

Ever since the early years of our Church, Christian have left the comfort of their homes to journey to sacred places around the world. Following this rich tradition, World Youth Day pilgrims travel to the host city seeking something in particular out of that experience.

While on the surface, these pilgrimages may seem like any other vacation or trip, they are much more than that. “To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God”.

Each pilgrim has their own personal motive, but God is calling out to the hearts of each one to discover Him for the first time or more intimately.

Through building new friendships, living out new experiences, overcoming new social and linguistic barriers, and even experiencing discomforts (like hunger, thirst, pain, crowds), a World Youth Day pilgrim can encounter God even in the most unlikely of moments.

No pilgrim’s journey is alike.

World Youth Day will physically and spiritually push every pilgrim beyond themselves to encounter God through the international community. It is a unique experience that will renew their understanding of self, God and the world that He has created and will refresh them as they return home to continue their life’s pilgrimage to heaven.