Last week Pope Francis traveled to Krakow, Poland to join hundreds of thousands of young men and women gathered to live out their faith as one. Hailing from 187 countries, almost every country in the world was represented. Catechesis was held for pilgrims in thirty-three languages. Many cardinals, over one thousand bishops, and tens of thousands of priests and religious traveled with their faithful to be present at this unique gathering of youth which Saint John Paul II started in Rome thirty-two years ago when he called for young people to gather on Palm Sunday. This first simple gathering exceeded all expectations when 250,000 young people came together to pray. This is the second time that Poland hosts World Youth Day, the first took place in Czestochowa in 1991.
A special anniversary for the Polish nation coincides with this great gathering of Catholic youth in Krakow. One thousand-fifty years ago, the first ruler of Poland, King Miescko, embraced Christianity for himself and his people. During his visit to Poland, Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the Monastery of Jasna Gora in Czestochowa commemorating this important anniversary. In 1966, Pope Paul VI intended to visit Jasna Gora, the heart of Polish Catholicism, to celebrate the millennium of Christianity in this country, but the communist government forbade his visit. A celebration was still held at Jasna Gora, but an empty chair was placed in the sanctuary symbolizing the absence of the Pope and in defiance of the authorities. At the conclusion of the Mass celebrated by Pope Francis, the Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa made reference to the empty chair and the crowd of over 300,000 clapped and cheered.
Also significant was Pope Francis’ visit to Auschwitz. He is the third Pope to have visited this concentration camp located near Krakow. Pope Francis prayed, met with Jewish authorities, and met Holocaust survivors, including fifteen from Auschwitz. The date which he visited, July 29th, was significant since it was the anniversary date that Saint Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish priest imprisoned at Auschwitz, courageously offered to take the place of a man who was selected to die. The cell where Saint Maximilian died is still marked today by a burning paschal candle and flowers.
Pope Francis took time to visit Cardinal Macharski, the retired archbishop of Krakow who is very ill and close to death. He also made an unexpected visit to the parents of a Polish young man from Katowice who suspended his studies to become a full-time volunteer of World Youth Day. As his volunteer year progressed, he became sick with cancer and died just a few weeks ago.
The joy of the youth gathered was palpable, especially at the Vigil where 1.6 million attended and the Mass where about two million participated. World Youth Day was full of faith, hope, and love, providing evidence that the Catholic Church is young and strong. The graces of these days will now pour out throughout the world, encouraging millions of faithful Catholics, impacting the course of events, and guiding more and more souls to Jesus Christ.
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