World Youth Day Lisbon 2023
Welcome to World Youth Day in Lisbon 2023 !
World Youth Day 2023 will be held in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. This religious event was initiated by Pope John Paul II and usually takes place every two to three years. World Youth Day is an important international meeting point for young Catholics, attracting hundreds of thousands of participants from all over the world each year.
In Lisbon, World Youth Day 2023 offers a wide range of activities such as worship, catechesis, pilgrimages and encounters between different cultures. It is also an opportunity for young Catholics to strengthen their faith community and delve deeper into their religion. World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon also offers a cultural and social program where participants can discover the city and its attractions and meet with the locals.
World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon will be an unforgettable event for all young Catholics who will take part in this international gathering.
World youth day Lisbon 2023 dates
1 - 6. August 2023
Useful information about World Youth Day in Lisbon
The Pilgrim Welcome Center will be principally based at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Portuguese Catholic University) in Lisbon from July 15, 2023 .
Program items on World Youth Day in Lisbon
The Youth Festival represents a variety of cultural, religious and sporting events organized by WYD pilgrims to share Christian experiences and creative ideas together.
As part of the youth festival, you can participate in music, film, exhibitions, theater, dance, conferences and religious events such as prayers, testimonies, worship and meetings of movements, associations and congregations.
The youth festival will take place from August 1st to 6th with all-day events, excluding the times dedicated to the main program elements. The events take place throughout the city of Lisbon, on outdoor stages but also indoors such as auditoriums, cinemas, theaters, museums, exhibition spaces and churches.
The job fairis part of the City of Joy that will take place as part of WYD Lisbon 2023. The event will last for four days and will give young people the opportunity to attend various lectures and testimonies. In addition, they can get in touch with various movements, associations, communities, religious orders and projects of a social nature and get to know the variety of charisms that make up the "beauty" in the Church. The job fair aims to connect young people with communities and movements to help them find the right job. From Tuesday to Friday (1-4 August 2023) between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., pilgrims have the opportunity to visit and get to know the stands of the movements, associations, communities, religious orders and social projects.
There is the possibility to visit the Parque do Perdão (Park of Forgiveness), a place of reconciliation for people and communities. The Parque do Perdão has 150 confessionals that come from hermit prisons in Coimbra, Paços de Ferreira and Porto. There a priest is available to support youth hikers and help them feel that they are receiving divine love and comfort through Atonement.
Parque do Perdão operates from August 1 to 4, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. During this period, the confessors of different nationalities are available.
Where will the main key events of World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 take place?
The main events take place at the following two locations:
Edward VII Park (Colina do Encontro)
This is where young people will meet Pope Francis for the first time at WYD Lisbon 2023.
Tagus Park (Campo da Graça)
In the Parque Tejo, the participants will celebrate the closing mass
Practical tips for the participants of the World Youth Day in Lisbon
During your short stay in Lisbon on World Youth Day, you don't have time to explore the city extensively. Then use our little guide! It helps you to find your way around the city. This way you can see the most important sights straight away and learn something about the life and history of Lisbon at the same time.
Have fun while reading!
Getting around Lisbon
Getting around the city of Lisbon is guaranteed by a well-developed public transport system, which will play a central role in the context of WYD Lisbon 2023. We are cooperatively connected with various mobility partners in order to offer pilgrims an additional offer and thus ensure smooth use of all means of transport. We include sustainability, environmental compatibility and the capacity of the city in our planning.
For more Information about Portugal and Lisbon please visit our Website:
Participating in World Youth Day - an experience of a lifetime
World Youth Day was originally established by then-Pope John Paul II in 1985. The idea was to bring young Catholics from all over the world together in one place every few years to celebrate their faith, make friends and pray together.
The first meeting took place in Rome in 1986 and had around 300,000 participants from 97 countries. Since then it has become one of the largest regular events in the Catholic Church.
World Youth Day has taken place approximately every three years since 1986. Venues change each time and are usually places of great spiritual and religious significance. In addition to Rome, the most well-known venues include Madrid, Kraków, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro and Panama City.
World Youth Day consists of a variety of activities and events, including church services, pilgrimages, catechesis, social activities, cultural events and leisure activities. These various events are designed to help participants deepen their faith, strengthen their relationships with other Catholics, and gain new experiences.
World Youth Day offers young Catholics the opportunity to meet, celebrate, pray and deepen their faith with other young believers from all over the world. Meeting people of other cultures and nationalities promotes understanding and appreciation for those who think differently and believers. The meeting gives young people the chance to deal with questions of faith and spirituality and to raise their voice in society.
Previous World Youth Days
Since the creation of World Youth Day in 1985, there have already been 33 official World Youth Days. Here is an overview of the previous World Youth Days:
Rome, Italy (1986): The first official World Youth Day was held in Rome. Pope John Paul II presided over the opening and closing Masses.
Buenos Aires, Argentina (1987): Around 750,000 participants from 60 countries attended this World Youth Day, where John Paul II celebrated Mass.
Santiago de Compostela, Spain (1989): The third World Youth Day took place in Spain at the pilgrimage destination of Santiago de Compostela. Over 400,000 young people from 82 countries took part.
Częstochowa, Poland (1991): Polish Pope John Paul II presided over the 4th World Youth Day in his native Poland. Over a million young people from all over the world gathered in the pilgrimage site of Częstochowa.
Denver, USA (1993): World Youth Day in Denver was the first in North America. More than 400,000 participants from 70 countries took part.
Manila, Philippines (1995): Around 4 million young people attended the 10th World Youth Day in Manila. It was the largest World Youth Day ever and was presided over by Pope John Paul II.
Paris, France (1997): Around 1.2 million young people from around the world gathered in Paris. It was the first World Youth Day not presided over by Pope John Paul II himself.
Rome/Tor Vergata , Italy (2000): World Youth Day in Rome was held to mark the Jubilee of 2000. Around 2 million participants attended the papal mass in Tor Vergata.
Toronto, Canada (2002): The 9th World Youth Day was held in Toronto, where Pope John Paul II attended a papal mass on the closing day
Cologne, Germany (2005): World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne was the largest Catholic youth event that had taken place up to that point. Pope Benedict XVI visited the Germany and around 1.2 million pilgrims from all over the world gathered in Cologne.
Sydney, Australia (2008): World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney was the first to be held in the Southern Hemisphere. Pope Benedict XVI also attended this World Youth Day and more than 400,000 pilgrims from all over the Warld traveled to Sydney.
Madrid, Spain ( 2011): World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid attracted pilgrims from over 190 countries, including more than half a million from abroad. Pope Benedict XVI also attended this World Youth Day.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2013): Pope Francis attended World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, attended by more than 3 million pilgrims from around the world.
Kraków, Poland (2016): World Youth Day 2016 returned to Poland, the homeland of St. John Paul II. Pope Francis was in attendance and more than 1.5 million pilgrims from around the world celebrated World Youth Day in Kraków.
Panama City, Panama (2019): World Youth Day 2019 in Panama City was the first to be held in Central America. Pope Francis took part in this event again and more than 200,000 pilgrims from all over the world met in Panama.
