VINCENTIAN MARIAN YOUTH GREECE
together in FAITH, together in HOPE, together in LOVE for Christ!
VMY Greece joins VYD-WYD Krakow 2016
21 September 2016
continuation...
World Youth Day Events
After the overwhelming VYD experience, VMY Greece this time joined the WYD events. The group had to leave Piekary every day by public bus (which takes more than 40 minutes) and headed towards the Krakow city center, where most of the WYD events were held. Prior to that, the group first toured around the city, visited Churches and had the chance to meet, make friends and do trade with other WYD pilgrims from different countries.
WYD Day 1 (July 26, Tuesday)
Filled with much enthusiasm and excitement, VMY Greece marched its way to Blonia Park in the afternoon for the WYD Opening Ceremonies. Thunderstorms did not dampen the spirit of the group as they walked in raincoats for nearly 2 hours just to reach its assigned sector (Sector C3) in the park.
The WYD 2016 officially opened as Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, Archbishop of Krakow, welcomed and celebrated Mass with all the pilgrims from different parts of the world.
WYD Day 2 (July 27, Wednesday) – WYD Catechesis
Mercy Center at Tauron Arena. Boarding via S1 public tram, VMY Greece headed its way to Tauron Arena for its WYD catechesis. Tauron Arena was the site of the Mercy Center, the WYD catechesis for English speaking pilgrims organized by the Knights of Columbus. For the entire day, the group stayed inside the conveniently air-conditioned arena attending various catechesis and School of Mercy break-out sessions. The day’s catechesis focused mainly on “authentic freedom” and our unique call for selfless love. People assembled in the arena also had the chance to witness the Pope Francis’ arrival in Krakow through a live video feed on screen.
One of the most memorable highlights of the day’s event was the Night of Mercy festival, which featured uplifting talks from Word on Fire’s Bishop Robert Barron and Life Teen’s Joel Stepanek. It was also special night filled with adoration, prayer, teaching and song.
WYD Day 3 (July 28, Thursday)
Pilgrimage of Mercy / Papal Welcome. VMY Greece set its way on a gloomy Thursday morning to visit the St. John Paul II Sanctuary and the Divine Mercy Shrine in Lagiewniki for the Pilgrimage of Mercy. Upon arrival in Lagiewniki, the group faced a crowd of pilgrims, all of which were already counting hours and standing in long queues just to get inside the sites. But despite of this, it was indeed a moment of faithful awe and reflection for the group as it is only a rare opportunity for them to visit these places where the Divine Mercy devotion all started.
Mid-afternoon, the group headed back to Blonia Park for the Papal Welcome Ceremonies. Still assigned in the same sector (Sector C3), the far distance of the sector from the stage however didn’t stop again the group from joining the rest of the pilgrims of the world to joyfully welcome Pope Francis. All of pilgrims were moved by Pope Francis’ inspiring message encouraging the youth to reclaim our potentials and youthfulness in order to share God’s loving mercy to others.
WYD Day 4 (July 29, Friday)
The group headed back again to the Mercy Center in Tauron Arena for another day of Catechesis. At this time, the day’s catechesis reflected on encountering the love and mercy of Christ through pain and suffering. It ended with a Mass in honor of Mary, Mother and Queen of Mercy.
Meanwhile, due to transportation difficulties, the group returned at an earlier time to Radosna and just watched online the WYD Way of the Cross. The group joined and reflected in prayer as the liturgy of the Stations of the Cross was being played at Blonia Park.
Armed with high spirits while carrying along backpacks and sleeping bags, VMY Greece prepared itself for the Saturday Night Vigil which was going to be held at Campus Misericordiae (“Field of Mercy”). It was the ultimate test of faith and patience as the group journeyed for almost 8 long hours (via train from Krakow Airport to Krakow Biezanow plus a mile-long foot walking) until it finally reached its assigned destination at Campus Misericordiae (Sector A13). Along the road, the group encountered sprinkler systems dousing all passing pilgrims with water as well as several pilgrim groups making cheerful chants.
WYD Day 5 (July 30, Saturday)
Arriving just in time before the Vigil started, the group settled itself at Sector A13. In the beginning of the Vigil, everyone heard three testimonies – first was from Rand, a Syrian woman, second was from Miguel of Paraguay, a former drug addict and third was from Natalia, a young Polish woman. All of their testimonies were later on acknowledged by Pope Francis. He also addressed the pilgrims with the following inspiring words: “we didn’t come into this world to “vegetate”, to take it easy, to make our lives a comfortable sofa to fall asleep on. No, we came for another reason: to leave a mark.”
As the sun sets down at Campus Misericordiae, a stream of lighted candles illuminated the entire venue while Pope Francis led the pilgrims in prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The Vigil event was indeed the ultimate encounter of the mercy of Jesus. After the vigil, pilgrims witnessed an ecumenical concert (“I Believe in Mercy Concert”) with musical performances from well-known personalities.
After a long and very tiring day, the group finally rested and slept under the stars.
VMY Greece on tour with the French group
Under a sunny Sunday morning, VMY Greece participated in the WYD Final Mass at Campus Misericordiae. Pope Francis arrived once again at the field and celebrated the Holy Eucharist with more than a million pilgrims on site. At the conclusion of the mass, Pope Francis then announced that the next World Youth Day will be held in Panama in 2019.
Afterwards, the group once again geared up for another long journey back to Piekary bringing with them the unforgettable and wonderful experience of the World Youth Day.
WYD Day 6 (July 31, Sunday)
Visit to Czestochowa (August 1, Monday)
Fresh from the WYD experience, VMY Greece continued its Krakow pilgrimage and headed Monday morning to the famous site of the Black Madonna in Czestochowa. The group travelled along with a French group and did a day-tour at the place.
Coming back from the day-tour at Czestochowa, everyone started to pack again their luggages and prepared for its return back to Greece. In order not to miss its flight the next day to Athens, the group stayed overnight at Krakow Airport. But before leaving for Krakow Airport, the group gathered once again on top of the small hill at Radosna just before the sunset. In united prayer, everyone expressed their heartfelt thanks to the Lord for the unending strength, enduring patience, bountiful blessings, unforgettable memories, and most of all for the wonderful pilgrimage experience of the VYD and WYD in Krakow.
