World Youth Day 2011 - Schedule of Events

Schedule of Events

• August 8–15

Days in the Dioceses in more than 40 Spanish diocesis

• August 16 (Tuesday)

8.00am: Arrival at Madrid: From the early morning, the pilgrims and groups registered in WYD were able to collect their accreditation and backpacks in the places indicated by the organization.

8.00pm: Opening Mass: World Youth Day began with a Mass in Madrid´s Cibeles Square, presided over by the archbishop of Madrid and concelebrated by the bishops and priests participating

9.30pm onwards: Cultural programme

• August 17 (Wednesday)

10.00am: Catechesis sessions

9.00pm onwards: Cultural programme (among other events, the Emmanuel Community organised the Noche de Alegría in the Madrid Arena sports place)

• August 18 (Thursday)

10.00am: Catechesis sessions

12.00pm: The Pope arrived at the Barajas Airport

2.40pm: The Pope drove through the streets of the city in the Popemobile to reach the Nunciature.

7.30pm: Papal Welcome Ceremony with youth at Plaza de Cibeles

9.00pm onwards: Cultural programme

• August 19 (Friday)

10.00am: Catechesis sessions

11.30am: Papal Meeting at El Escorial young religious sisters and university professors

7.30pm: Via crucis along the Paseo de Recoletos

9.00pm onwards: Cultural programme

• August 20 (Saturday)

10.00am: Mass for seminarians in the Almudena Cathedral

4.00pm: Preparatory ceremony in Cuatro Vientos: Young people arrived at the Cuatro Vientos Airport and took their places. Meanwhile, different activities took place on the stage (testimonies of young people, musical interpretations, prayers to the Virgin, etc.), to prepare for the Vigil.

7.40pm: Pope visited the “Fundación Instituto San José”, a center for the sick run by the es:Orden Hospitalaria de San Juan de Dios

8.30pm: Vigil with the Pope: The Pope arrived at Cuatro Vientos to celebrate an Eucharistic adoration.

11.00pm: Night in Cuatro Vientos: From early in the morning, pilgrims arrived at Cuatro Vientos, but were not able to adore the eucharist as planned because of the storm that damaged the chapels. The stage was designed by Ignacio Vicens, an architect who had assisted with World Youth Day celebrations during the time of John Paul II.

The number of people attending exceeded expectations, which means more land had to be found round the edges to accommodate the people. An estimated 1,000,000 were in the aerodrome at seven o'clock in the evening, which made this the largest Catholic event ever staged in Spain. Many pilgrims walked from the centre of Madrid (12.6 km), although extra public transport was put on.

The Pope arrived and a cross was carried in procession to the altar. Several young people were picked to ask questions to the Pope, but a sudden thunderstorm and high winds, meant that the Pope's address had to be communicated to the crowd in written form.

The Pope resumed the adoration of the Eucharist, after the rain, although with a shortened programme. A mass with distribution of the Eucharist to many in the crowd had to be reduced in dimension.

Many stayed during the night, and the Sunday morning mass took on a larger dimension to make up for the day before.

• August 21 (Sunday)

9.30am: Final Mass: The Pope concelebrated Mass with thousands of bishops and priests. At the end of the concluding Mass, the Pope announced the place where the next edition of World Youth Day would be held.

5.30pm: Encounter with Volunteers: Pope Benedict XVI had a brief meeting with the WYD volunteers at the es:IFEMA

6.30 pm: Papal Farewell ceremony at the Barajas Airport