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The excitement is palpable. \u00a0There are pilgrims everywhere. \u00a0The flags they carry have as many colors as the most diverse artist palette. \u00a0The pilgrims sing and chant. \u00a0Many take turns singing their national anthems at the main square of Krakow as they take over most of its space.<\/p>\n
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This afternoon I sat at a cafe on Krakow\u2019s beautiful main square and I watched the world go by. \u00a0I 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. \u00a0These are some of the ones I recognized and remember. \u00a0When pilgrims from the same country meet, they sing back and forth. \u00a0When pilgrims from different countries meet, they take pictures together and exchange keepsakes they brought from home for this purpose.<\/p>\n
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Security is very tight, especially around the main square. \u00a0The police and military have a heavy presence. \u00a0The main square this morning even had a tank. \u00a0Yesterday, I counted close to thirty police vans full of officers. \u00a0Last night about forty police officers received instructions at the Divine Mercy Shrine, some appeared to be undercover. \u00a0At this very moment, I hear helicopters hovering over us.<\/p>\n
There is a true sense that the world is here, and that the world is young. \u00a0The average age of the registered participants is 22. \u00a0They are prepared to receive 2.5 million pilgrims, but the actual number may be lower. \u00a0We will know in the next few days when everyone arrives into the city. \u00a0Considering 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\u00a0to their lives. \u00a0The number of youth here is only a fraction of those who have remained at home.<\/p>\n
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One year ago, on a letter written\u00a0on 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. \u00a0Francis wrote, \u201cI 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.\u201d \u00a0Francis continued addressing all young people, \u201cat 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\u2026 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: \u201cJesus, I trust in You!\u201d. 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The fruit of God\u2019s mercy that is experienced at World Youth Day most palpably is joy. \u00a0There is great joy shared by all who participate and a sense that we all do belong together in Christ.<\/p>\n
In a world with so much hatred, violence and sadness, this is quite a wonder to behold. \u00a0Especially as I hear the news of the gruesome murder of\u00a0Father 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.<\/p>\n
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The excitement is palpable. \u00a0There are pilgrims everywhere. \u00a0The flags they carry have as many colors as the most diverse artist palette. \u00a0The pilgrims sing and chant. \u00a0Many take turns singing their national anthems at the main square of Krakow as they take over most of its space. \u00a0 This afternoon I sat at a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2533,"featured_media":1903,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[205],"tags":[30,413,251,404,412,411,163],"class_list":["post-1901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","tag-catholic","tag-flags","tag-hope","tag-krakow","tag-pilgrims","tag-pope-john-paul-ii","tag-world-youth-day"],"yoast_head":"\n