Flags everywhere! Krakow taken over by youth

Last updated on: July 26, 2016 at 10:56 am by Father Pablo Migone

Flags everywhere! Krakow taken over by youth 2016-07-26T10:56:11-05:00 Father Pablo Migone

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The excitement is palpable. There are pilgrims everywhere. The flags they carry have as many colors as the most diverse artist palette. The pilgrims sing and chant. Many take turns singing their national anthems at the main square of Krakow as they take over most of its space.

This afternoon I sat at a cafe on Krakow’s beautiful main square and I watched the world go by. I saw flags from Lebanon, El Salvador, Brasil, Germany, Croatia, Australia, France, Poland, Spain, Czech Republic, Switzerland, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Mozambique, Ukraine, Peru, Panama, Poland, Spain, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Albania, USA, Italy and many more. These are some of the ones I recognized and remember. When pilgrims from the same country meet, they sing back and forth. When pilgrims from different countries meet, they take pictures together and exchange keepsakes they brought from home for this purpose.

Security is very tight, especially around the main square. The police and military have a heavy presence. The main square this morning even had a tank. Yesterday, I counted close to thirty police vans full of officers. Last night about forty police officers received instructions at the Divine Mercy Shrine, some appeared to be undercover. At this very moment, I hear helicopters hovering over us.

There is a true sense that the world is here, and that the world is young. The average age of the registered participants is 22. They are prepared to receive 2.5 million pilgrims, but the actual number may be lower. We will know in the next few days when everyone arrives into the city. Considering that 2.5 million young Catholics are able to travel to Krakow, imagine how many young Catholics there are throughout the world for whom faith in Jesus Christ is central to their lives. The number of youth here is only a fraction of those who have remained at home.

One year ago, on a letter written on August 15th, 2015, Pope Francis issued an official invitation to World Youth Day which he noted would be held in the city of Saint John Paul II and saint Faustina Kowalska. Francis wrote, “I believe that Divine Providence led us to the decision to celebrate the Youth Jubilee in that city which was home to those two great apostles of mercy in our times.” Francis continued addressing all young people, “at the [Divine Mercy] Shrine in Krakow dedicated to the merciful Jesus, where he is depicted in the image venerated by the people of God, Jesus is waiting for you. He has confidence in you and is counting on you! He has so many things to say to each of you… Do not be afraid to look into his eyes, full of infinite love for you. Open yourselves to his merciful gaze, so ready to forgive all your sins. A look from him can change your lives and heal the wounds of your souls. His eyes can quench the thirst that dwells deep in your young hearts, a thirst for love, for peace, for joy and for true happiness. Come to Him and do not be afraid! Come to him and say from the depths of your hearts: “Jesus, I trust in You!”. Let yourselves be touched by his boundless mercy, so that in turn you may become apostles of mercy by your actions, words and prayers in our world, wounded by selfishness, hatred and so much despair.”

The fruit of God’s mercy that is experienced at World Youth Day most palpably is joy. There is great joy shared by all who participate and a sense that we all do belong together in Christ.

In a world with so much hatred, violence and sadness, this is quite a wonder to behold. Especially as I hear the news of the gruesome murder of Father Jacques Hamel in France earlier today, the vibrancy of the Catholic Church gathered in Krakow gives all great hope and courage to carry on unafraid.

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July 25, 2016

From Krakow, waiting

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July 28, 2016 Pilgrims everywhere, Francis in Czestochowa

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