Many people have called World Youth Day (WYD) “the most beautiful invention of Saint John Paul II.” Yet the Pope once attributed its origin not to himself, but to the young people of the world, affirming that the young people were the ones who invented WYD. So how did this incredible journey begin? Let’s take a closer look. World Youth Day (WYD) is a worldwide encounter with the Pope celebrated every few years in a different country. The most recent WYD took place in Lisbon, Portugal in 2023. The next World Youth Day will be held in Seoul, South Korea, in August 2027.

WYD is open to all young people who want to take part in a festive encounter centered on Jesus Christ together with their peers. This event is an opportunity to personally experience the universality of the Catholic Church, and to share with the whole world the hope of many young people who are committing their lives to Christ and His Church.

World Youth Day is a unique way to deepen your faith and grow closer to Christ, through prayer and the sacraments, together with hundreds of thousands of other young people who share your interests and ambitions.

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