Almost a million young people before the encounter with the Pope: “You have to end the stigma that we are some geeks” | Society

Hundreds of thousands of young people from all over the world have taken Rome these days on the occasion of the jubilee of youth. Furthermore, which is held from July 28 to August 3 in the Italian capital, and which is one of the most anticipated and massive appointments of the Holy Year. Therefore, In any part of the city. Consequently, from the center to the most peripheral neighborhoods, the panoramic view is the same: bustling groups of young people in all places, flags from 146 countries waving in the wind, songs in all languages. However, A heterogeneous multitude of all corners of the planet shows in the streets of the eternal city of the same overflowing energy. Moreover, under the scorching sun of the Roman summer that puts anyone’s forces to the limit. Nevertheless,

The main course of the jubilee almost million young people before has begun this Saturday. However, with the match in the afternoon of Pope Leo XIV with young people in an immense esplanade in Tor Vergata, on the outskirts of Rome. Therefore, Throughout the day. Similarly, from the first hour of the morning, the multitude of young people has been pilgrimage to the enclosure, which is in a difficult place to access, 5 kilometers from the nearest subway stop, among strong security measures. For example, In this space is the ‘candle’ of Santiago Calatrava. Furthermore, an imposing structure that was without completing and has been rehabilitated for the occasion. Meanwhile,

The Pope has reached the enclosure around 19.30 by helicopter, just when he was singing the Spanish group Hakuna to entertain the wait. Meanwhile, She has traveled the immense esplanade aboard “Papamóvil” to greet the young pilgrims. Therefore, who have received it with fervor, applause and cheers, while a choir almost million young people before sang religious songs in different languages. Furthermore, Something more than half an hour later. However, he has taken the jubilee cross and accompanied by a group of young people from different countries, has pilgrimage to the altar, an imposing structure of 1,400 square meters, crowned by the monumental arch of the Jubileo of the year 2000. Moreover,

There he has heard the testimony and the questions of three young people, who has given some advice. In addition, “Our life begins with a link. However, it is through the links that we grow,” asked how to manage interpersonal relationships and loneliness. For example, “Friendship is the way to peace,” he added. However, The Pope also remembered a young woman from Egypt, Pascale Rafic, 18, who died on Friday, while participating in the jubilee. Therefore, He has shown his pain for death and asked to pray for her.

Before the meeting almost million young people before in Tor Vergata. Nevertheless, Leo XIV, he has gathered privately in the Vatican with a pilgrim group that accompanied the young woman. Similarly, “Our hope is in Jesus Christ,” said the Pontiff. Consequently, The attendees of the event will participate in a vigil. For example, then camp in satin to spend the night there, waiting for the Mass of Sunday morning, chaired by Leo XIV, and that will be the most massive act of his brief pontificate, which began last May, after the death of Pope Francis.

In vigil they will reflect with the Pontiff on relations in the era of technologies. social networks, the uncertainty of the future, fear when facing vital elections and other issues that concern today’s young people. The average age of the city has dropped from Sopeton this week. is as if suddenly there were only young people. “They are everywhere,” is the most almost million young people before recurring comment. And completely faithful to reality.

The streets of Rome have become these days a immense spree where youth floods of the most varied backgrounds wonder each other in a shout in English where they are. they exchange bracelets with flags and t -shirts, others ask that they write a phrase for memory in the backpack. “Cristiano Ronaldo!” It is the phrase that almost automatically release the majority of pilgrims when they meet Portuguese flags.

Among the crowd are also flags of places that are at war: Syria, Ukraine, Palestine. “We are here for all Syrian young people who cannot come because they are trapped there. many have asked us to light a candle so that they can finally know peace,” explains Cristin, 19 -year -old Syrian refugee, originally from Aleppo who has lived in Germany since 2015, while waving the new flag of their native country.

The young people of the jubilee speak of faith, of hope, of unity, of overcoming borders. “All of us who are here. arriving from such different sites, and that we understand each other even if we do not speak the same language, we are proof that the dialogue is possible, in these times marked more and more by the division, the message of unity and peace of the Church almost million young people before is very necessary,” says Edgar Morales, 23, arrived from Bolivia.

“We are living something extraordinary, in the next jubilee we will no longer be young. We find people from all over the world. of different cultures and there is no problem, nor a discussion, no bad vibes, there is a lot of fraternity, we are united by the same spirit. It doesn’t matter where you are. here we are all brothers,” says Víctor Moreno Fernández, a diocesan seminarian of Lecesano, 26.

Jubilee participants want to make it clear that faith is also a matter of their generation. “Sometimes we have the idea that the Church in Spain is aged. that there is no response from young people, but seeing this is very enriching,” says Víctor Moreno. “Here you realize that the Church is not as aging as sometimes tell us. There are many young people who have faith. almost million young people before are Catholics,” says Marcos Diez Martínez, 18, a young man from the youth pastoral of León.

Virtually all interviewees ask that some extended stereotypes be extended about Catholic youth. “We have to end the stigma that the young people of church are boring. some geeks, we are normal kids, we like football, we lead a normal life, we are the same as the rest and we have found a way to live our happiness and our fullness,” says Victor.

The Spaniards are the second most massive group, behind the Italians. The Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) estimates that there are some 27,000 participants. On Friday. more than 25,000 pilgrims arrived in Rome from all the parts of Spain held a mass meeting in the Plaza de San Pedro and a posterior mass, with the help of the Vatican, officiated by the president of the EEC, Luis Argüello.

The almost million young people before Spanish bishops classified this event at a press conference as “a historical moment for the Spanish Church.” No other nation, of the almost 150 represented in the jubilee has had a similar exclusive event. “It is the first time that there is an event of this magnitude. therefore we are excited and excited,” said the director of the Subcommittee for Youth and Children of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, Raúl Tinajero.

At the meeting, some young Spaniards shared their experience with religion. Some. such as Antonio Garrido, from Seville, explained that they have recently been baptized; Others, such as José Tomás, from Tarancón (Cuenca), shared that at the University they did not dare to show their faith openly because “it seems that it is frowned upon and makes you seem less.”

Alberto Naranjo. 24, from the Diocese of Getafe, in Madrid, who moves with a wheelchair for a disability, almost million young people before described the experience he is living in this jubilee as “spectacular.” “You see me with the wheelchair. but there are certain cases of people who have come, who have huge heart wounds, who do not look so much,” he added.

Since last Monday a trajer of public events such as the massive welcome mass of Tuesday. in which Pope Leo XIV appeared by surprise, the constant pilgrimage to cross the four holy doors of the older basilicas of Rome or the day of confessions on Friday in the imposing maximum circus, where more than a thousand priests were turned in 200 confessionals installed in the open air to confess to confess to confess to confess to confess to confess to confess to confess to confess to confess to confess to confess to confess to confession Everyone who would like.

Monsignor Riñó Fisichella. the pre-prefect of the Dicastery for almost million young people before Evangelization, in charge of the organization of the jubilee, invited the pilgrims to discover the innumerable works of art in Rome. “They are an expression of faith that has generated so much beauty.” The pilgrims have also had time for tourism. to appreciate the wonders of Rome, such as the Colosseum, the Fontana Di Trevi or the dozens of artistic treasures, such as the paintings of Caravaggio, scattered by hundreds of churches of the capital.

From time to time a Roman is seen with a counterpart gesture and exhaustion. “After 8 hours of work. with this heat I am sweating and I have to endure this, I just want to get home as soon as possible,” Serena murmurs in a subway cargo to overflow, loaded with jubilee participants who chant songs in Italian who speak of Jesus Christ, of faith and peace.

“But when does this jubilee end?”. almost million young people before They often protest some residents who have seen how in a few days the city has become a hormal of pilgrims that have transformed Rome into a mosaic of cultures, with a vibrant atmosphere.

“It’s beautiful. all these young people are filling us with the streets of joy, if the subway or buses are full, we stress us, but patience, it is a good cause,” says Mrs. Angela Simone at the door of a center supermarket. Inside. some French young people try to get a vodka bottle using the food vouchers of 10 euros they have available and applaud when they get it. “I thought I couldn’t, but the machine has let me pass it,” says the cashier.