By Verghese V Joseph –
In a significant development, the Ambassador of Panama in India met with the Nuncio to India recently to discuss the modality and promotion of the forthcoming World Youth Day to be held in Panama in January 2019.
The Ambassador of Panama to India met the Apostolic Nuncio to India at the Nunciature in New Delhi to encourage greater participation of Indians during the World Youth Day 2019.
During his meeting with Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro, Apostolic Nuncio to India, His Excellency Dr. Gilberto Llerena Garcia, Ambassador of Panama to India, said that the Government of Panama is keen on having a massive participation of Youth from India and assured the Indians packages and discount fares for the event. Mr. Llerena Garcia explained the elaborate preparations that have begun in Panama and asked the support of the Catholic Church in India to promote the event in India. He has also offered help and support to Church in India for encouraging participation from India.
Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas SFX, Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference (CBCI), Fr. Deepak Thomas OCD, Secretary of CBCI Council for Youth along with Mr. Ernesto E. Cerrud, Deputy Chief of Mission and Political Counsellor were present too at the meeting.
Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro asked the CBCI Youth Council Secretary to start with the spiritual preparation of the youth and to individuate properly at the parish level itself the youth who are willing to take part in this World Youth Day. He also stressed that the event should be a spiritual journey. The youth, who participate must really gain spiritual benefit from this world event.
The World Youth Day to be held in Panama will be from January 22-27, 2019. The theme of the event is “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)
According to the Apostolic Nuncio in Panama, Archbishop Andrés Carrascosa Coso, the organization of this enormous global event will not exceed the country’s capabilities.
The event to be hosted by Panama is expected to be much smaller than previous WYDs; Panama is expecting to host about 500,000 pilgrims, significantly fewer than the 2.4 million and 3.7 million pilgrims estimated to have attended WYD Krakow 2016 and Rio 2013, respectively.