Cape Verdean Catholic Official Lauds Country’s “extremely positive” Participation in Jubilee of Youth in Rome

Santiago, 16 August, 2025 / 8:45 PM

The Diocesan Youth Chaplain of the Catholic Diocese of Santiago in Cape Verde has described the participation of young people from the country in the July 28 – August 3 Jubilee of Youth in Rome as “extremely positive,” citing the joy and faith expressed by the youth during the international gathering.

In an interview with ACI Africa on Tuesday, August 12, Deacon Daniel Vaz said the Cape Verdean delegation comprising 43 has returned home safely.

“The assessment I make as the spiritual assistant for the diocesan youth is an extremely positive one. I dare to say this precisely because of the reactions we were able to see on their faces, as well as from the sharing we heard from the young people who took part in the Jubilee,” Deacon Vaz told ACI Africa.

He noted that the event was “an experience marked by fraternal communion and by a living spirit of faith, expressed in the faces of the young people and in their own words.”

“This experience,” Deacon Vaz explained, “allowed the young people to feel part of the Universal Church, living out a faith experience, this fraternal communion among young people from different countries, with an extremely rich moment of sharing among the young people from all the countries present at the Jubilee.”

The Cape Verdean Deacon recalled that “there was even a day especially dedicated to sharing the youth experiences of each country, during which the young people exchanged experiences that broadened their horizons and allowed them to understand what the Universal Church proposes for youth.” 

He added, “This activity was extremely important, and we were also able to retain important experiences from other young people, which also helps us, in a way, to open our horizons to understand what the Universal Church proposes for young people around the world.”

The Cape Verde delegation included 39 young people. Of these, 36 were from the Diocese of Santiago while 3 were from the Diocese of Mindelo. The young people were accompanied by a Deacon and two Priests. 

“All the pilgrims returned from Rome,” Deacon Vaz said, adding “although some young people who had extended visas took the opportunity to spend time with relatives in Europe before returning to the country.” 

He noted that on coming back, the young people are motivated and ready to share with their peers in the country the joy experienced at the Jubilee.

“This Jubilee is also intertwined with the Jubilee Decade marking the 500 years since the creation of the Diocese of Santiago in Cape Verde,” Deacon Vaz said and added, “We celebrate this hope we have received from our ancestors, and we must also live this same hope and bring hope to others who will come after us.”

The Deacon further emphasized that young people “are the main protagonists in passing on this spiritual heritage, with responsibility, concrete actions, and a life of witness.” 

He recalled that “the important formative milestone experienced in the previous year with the Cape Verdean Youth Jubilee suggests a continuous commitment to young people, which now gains strength with this intercontinental experience.”