Traking the Youth Cross (1984-2003)

Pilgrimage of the Youth Cross (part I)
(Taken from the Pontifical Council for the Laity)
Volume 2 Issue 5 February 2007
It is known as the "Holy Year Cross", the "Jubilee Cross", the "WYD Cross", the "Pilgrim Cross". Many call it the "Youth Cross" as it was given to young
people to take around the world to any place at any time. Here is the story of that Cross.

It was the Holy year of the Redemption (1983-1984). Pope John Paul II felt that there should be a cross - the symbol of our faith - near the main altar
in Saint Peter's Basilica where it could be seen by everyone. A large wooden Cross, 3.8 metres high, was placed there according to the Holy Father's
desire.

At the end of the Holy Year, after the Pope had closed the Holy Door, he entrusted that Cross to the youth of the world, represented by the young
people from the San Lorenzo Youth Centre in Rome. His words on that occasion were:

"My dear young people, at the conclusion of the Holy Year, I entrust to you the sign of this Jubilee Year: the Cross of Christ! Carry it throughout the
world as a symbol of Christ's love for humanity, and announce to everyone that only in the death and resurrection of Christ can we find salvation and
redemption"(Rome, 22nd April 1984).

The youth responded to the Holy Father's request. They took it to the San Lorenzo Youth Centre beside Saint Peter's Square, and this was to be its
home when it was not on pilgrimage around the world.

The first pilgrimage of the Holy Year Cross (as it was known then) was in July 1984 to Munich in Germany for the "Katholikentag" (Catholic days). It
was just a simple wooden cross, so at first, people did not see that it was anything special. Little by little they realised that it was there on a mission by desire of the Holy Father. At the final Eucharistic celebration in the city stadium with 120,000 people present, it was beside the altar for all to see.

Then the youth took the cross to Lourdes, Paray-le-Monial and other places in France. It went to Germany again in September. On hearing this, the Pope
said, "They must also take it to Prague, to Cardinal Tomasek". At that time, Czechoslovakia was behind the iron curtain, and the Cross carried there by
the young people would be a symbol of communion with the Pope. The Cross returned to Germany on 27 December.

In January of 1985 , a group of German youth brought the cross to Prague in answer to the Holy Father's request. 1985 was International Youth Year
proclaimed by the United Nations, and 300,000 young people had a meeting with the Pope in Saint Peter's Square on Palm Sunday. The Holy Year Cross
was present at that meeting. That year, the Cross was at youth meetings, was taken on pilgrimage, and led the Way of the Cross in city streets in various
parts of Europe: Italy, France, Luxembourg, Ireland, Scotland, Malta and Germany. In December of that year, Pope John Paul II announced that there
would be an annual World Youth Day beginning on the next Palm Sunday

In 1986, the Cross was present at the Rome celebration of the First World Youth Day. It was held in Saint John Lateran Basilica on Palm Sunday. For
the Cross, it was a year of pilgrimages and meetings in Italy, France and Switzerland .

to be continued . . .
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