World Youth Day - Chronology of Celebrations

Chronology of Celebrations

Year Date Host Attendance Theme Anthem Mass
1984 15 April Rome,
Vatican City
Italy		 300,000 Holy Year of the Redemption: A Festival of Hope Resta Qui Con Noi

  • Holy Mass held at Piazza San Pietro
  • Pope John Paul II entrusts the WYD Cross to the Youth
1985 31 March Rome,
Vatican City
Italy		 300,000 International Youth Year
  • Holy Mass held at Piazza San Pietro
1987 11 – 12 April Buenos Aires,
Argentina		 1,000,000 We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves (1 Jn 4:16) Un Nuevo Sol

  • First WYD outside Europe
  • First WYD in Southern Hemisphere
1989 15 – 20 August Santiago de Compostela,
Spain		 400,000 I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6) Somos Los Jóvenes

  • Final Mass held at Monte do Gozo
1991 10 – 15 August Częstochowa,
Poland		 1,600,000 You have received a spirit of sonship (Rom 8:15) Abba Ojcze

  • Final Mass held at Jasna Góra Monastery
1993 10 – 15 August Denver,
United States		 500,000 I came that they might have life, and have it to the full (Jn 10:10) (We Are) One Body

  • Final Mass held at Cherry Creek State Park
  • First WYD in North America and as of 2012 only WYD in USA
1995 10 – 15 January Manila,
Philippines		 5,000,000 As the Father sent me, so am I sending you (Jn 20:21) Tell the World of His Love

  • Final Mass held at Luneta Park
  • Current world record for the largest Papal gathering
  • First WYD in Asia
1997 19 – 24 August Paris,
France		 1,200,000 Teacher, where are you staying? Come and see (cf. Jn 1:38–39) Maître Et Seigneur

  • Final Mass held at Longchamp Racecourse
2000 15 – 20 August Rome,
Vatican City
Italy		 2,000,000 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14) Emmanuel

  • Final Mass held at Tor Vergata
  • Held on the occasion of the Great Jubilee
2002 23 – 28 July Toronto,
Canada		 800,000 You are the salt of the earth ... you are the light of the world (Mt 5:13–14) Lumière Du Monde/Light Of The World

  • Final Mass held at Downsview Park
  • Last WYD attended by Pope John Paul II
  • First WYD in Canada
2005 16 – 21 August Cologne,
Germany
 1,200,000 We have come to worship Him (Mt 2:2) Venimus Adorare Eum

  • Final Mass held at Marienfeld
  • First WYD attended by Pope Benedict XVI
2008 15 – 20 July Sydney,
Australia		 400,000 You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses. (Ac 1:8) Receive The Power

  • Final Mass held at Randwick Racecourse
  • First WYD in Oceania
2011 16 – 21 August Madrid,
Spain		 1,400,000–2,000,000 Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith (Col 2:7) Firmes en la Fe

  • Final mass held at Cuatro Vientos Airport
  • Spain becomes the first country (outside the Vatican/Italy) to host WYD twice
2013 23 – 28 July Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil		 TBD Go and make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19) "Esperança do Amanhecer" (Sunrise's Hope)
  • WYD returns to South America after more than two decades

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