Johannesburg, 26 July, 2023 / 9:50 pm (ACI Africa).
The World Youth Day (WYD) 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal is a manifestation of “the worldwide Church” as it will bring together pilgrims from across the globe, the Archbishop of South Africa’s Johannesburg Archdiocese has said.
In a Wednesday, July 26 report, Archbishop Buti Tlhagale urged the youth representing the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) to “enjoy the company of the many thousands of young people” at the August 1-6 event.
The WYD, he said, will give the young Africans “a sense of the worldwide church, that we are not just a small little country here as Catholics, but that we are part of a bigger world Catholic Church.”
The member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) said that the WYD will give hundreds of young people attending the WYD from an opportunity to grow their faith.
“They will also enjoy the presence of people of deep faith from across the world, and hopefully they will also lift up their faith to be part of that million people who will be celebrating World Youth Day,” Archbishop Tlhagale said.
