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World Youth Day Panama

World Youth Day is an international Catholic festival for on youth and young adults, held this year January 22-27 in Panama City, Panama.

In this series

From Panama to home, pilgrimage of faith continues

They were united in faith, even though they were about 2,000 miles apart.About 1,400 young adult Catholics from 30 dioceses across the United States gathered on Jan. 26 for Panama...

During World Youth Day closing Mass, Pope Francis tells youth they are 'the now of God'

During the Jan. 27 closing Mass for the 2019 World Youth Day in Panama City, Panama, Pope Francis told the young people that they must not wait until the future to start living...

Young adults enjoy a 'piece of Panama' at World Youth Day in Washington

While World Youth Day was underway in Panama, about two thousand miles away in Washington, D.C., the joy of that celebration unfolded stateside as 1,400 young adult Catholics...

Panama in the Capital speakers offer young adults insights on living the faith

Like the World Youth Day gathering that unfolded that week in Panama, the Jan. 26 Panama in the Capital stateside festival in Washington, D.C., for Catholic young adults included...

During World Youth Day Vigil, pope tells youth 'the Lord’s love is greater than all our problems'

As pilgrims walked through the neighborhoods that surrounded the site of the closing vigil and Mass for World Youth Day in Panama City on Jan. 26, local Panamanian residents...

Panama in the Capital event offers stateside World Youth Day experience for young adult pilgrims

As World Youth Day 2019 came to a close in Panama, about 1,400 young adults representing about 30 dioceses throughout the United States gathered Jan. 26 at The Catholic University...

During World Youth Day Vigil, pope tells youth 'the Lord’s love is greater than all our problems'

A World Youth Day pilgrim writes in her journal Jan. 26 while waiting for the pope to arrive at the World Youth Day Vigil. Many pilgrims had camped for hours before the vigil even...

During Way of the Cross, pope invites pilgrims to see Christ in those who are suffering

During the Way of the Cross, celebrated on Jan. 25 in Panama City, thousands of World Youth Day pilgrims from around the world joined Pope Francis in praying for people facing...

Pilgrims receive the love of God in the 'Garden of Forgiveness'

As she welcomed World Youth Day pilgrims to the “Garden of Forgiveness" on Jan. 25 for an experience called "Renew Me,” where they are guided through a...

Pope Francis encourages World Youth Day pilgrims to 'dare to keep alive a shared dream'

As pilgrims lined the streets of the Cinta Costera in Panama City on Jan. 24, waiting with anticipation to see Pope Francis arrive at the welcome ceremony during World Youth Day,...

At lunch in Panama, U.S. pilgrim questions pope on abuse crisis

While sharing a private lunch with pilgrims from around the world during the World Youth Day gathering in Panama, Pope Francis expressed his solidarity with victims of sexual...

Jesus' love does not use labels, pope tells young detainees in Panama

Just like the Pharisees, many today shun Jesus' merciful love toward sinners and prefer to use labels that stigmatize a person's past, present and future, Pope Francis...

Panama mosque offers free water to World Youth Day pilgrims

Thousands of World Youth Day pilgrims in Panama City stopped by the Jama Mosque Jan. 24 en route to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis."Brothers, sisters, you need water,"...

At Fiat Festival, pilgrims are encouraged to 'go out into the depths' and follow God's plan for their lives

World Youth Day pilgrims gathered at the Amador Convention Center in Panama City on Jan. 23 for the “Fiat Festival,” the largest English-speaking gathering of...

Young adults from Immaculate Conception Parish in Washington encourage pilgrims to say ‘yes’ to their vocation

During the Jan. 23 Fiat Festival, sponsored by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), the Knights of Columbus and the United States Conference of Catholic...

Pope Francis arrives in Panama for World Youth Day, confirms trip to Japan

Pilgrims lined the streets of Panama City to welcome Pope Francis to World Youth Day and his first papal visit to Central America.Pope Francis was greeted by dancers and was...

Pausing to receive and share the love of Christ

World Youth Day has been a continual whirlwind of experiences. We have been constantly traveling around Panama City to meet new people and try to capture the story that is...

A 'manifesto' at World Youth Day calls attention to environment

Young people attending World Youth Day called attention to the world's environmental problems, issuing what they called a "manifesto" for the "care of the common home." "We, young...

Young people reflect on saying ‘yes’ to God’s call during English Catechesis session

During one of the first English language Catechesis sessions during World Youth Day, held at San Francisco de la Caleta Parish in Panama City on Jan. 23, Dallas Bishop Edward...

Panama in Capital offers stateside celebration of World Youth Day

Thousands of Catholic college students and young adults will gather in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 26 for Panama in the Capital, a Catholic festival celebrating World Youth Day...

A life of holiness is possible in every culture, Panama archbishop tells young people at opening World Youth Day Mass

During the opening Mass for the 2019 World Youth Day in Panama City, Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, the metropolitan archbishop of Panama, said his country welcomed the...

In preparation for start of World Youth Day, pilgrims pray for Mary's intercession

As World Youth Day pilgrims gathered for Confession, Mass, and praise and worship inside of the Gamboa Rainforest Resort on Jan. 21, Chris Dube from Dube Travel, the company that...

World Youth Day pilgrims admire beauty of creation in Gamboa Rainforest

World Youth Day pilgrims from a variety of dioceses in the United States spent Jan 21 admiring God’s creation in the Gamboa Rainforest, located just outside of Panama City....

Different nations, but one faith unites Panama’s World Youth Day pilgrims

Jorge Soto wore a wrestling mask typical of Lucha Libre fighters in Mexico and every few steps he took, others would sidle up to have a picture taken with him. The mask was fun to...

Pilgrims arrive in Panama City ahead of World Youth Day celebration

Though much of Panama was hit with a power outage on Jan. 20, shutting down the entire subway system in Panama City, energy still ran through the streets in the form of World...

Finding grace along the pilgrim journey

We have made it to Panama for World Youth Day! It was 30 degrees and snowing when I left Washington, and as soon as I got off the plane, the heat of the Panamanian summer hit me...

Archdiocese of Washington pilgrims hope to learn about God, themselves and others during World Youth Day

For years, 17-year-old Justin Lizama has heard about World Youth Day from his uncle, who attended the past celebrations in Brazil and in Spain. His uncle told him about the...

After praying with each other across continents, CUA students will meet fellow pilgrims in Panama

When Elena Martín and Tatiana Amundsen arrive to Panama City for World Youth Day in January, they will meet up with other people from around the world whom they have never met,...

Youth from Misión San Andrés raise $43,000 to go to Panama for World Youth Day

Since July, teenagers and young adults from Misión San Andrés have been spending every Sunday selling religious items, T-shirts and raffle tickets after Mass and hosting monthly...

Nicaraguans face steeper challenges than most heading to World Youth Day

Many will make sacrifices to attend the upcoming World Youth Day in Panama in late January, but few compare to the challenges facing young Catholics in nearby Nicaragua as the...

From Kraków to Washington to Panama, pilgrim leaves everything behind to follow God

When Hannah Rothwell decided to attend World Youth Day in Kraków, Poland in 2016, she was a 19-year-old atheist who did not know anyone else going. Now, she makes regular...

Young adults can experience a taste of Panama in Washington on Jan. 26

On the same day that hundreds of thousands of pilgrims will be making their way to the site of the closing vigil and Mass for World Youth Day in Panama City, Panama, young people...

Archdiocese of Washington pilgrimage sites

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate ConceptionBasilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (CS photo/Jaclyn Lippelmann)The basilica is often referred...

Patron Saints of World Youth Day 2019

The organizers of each World Youth Day choose patron saints to whom they entrust the celebration. Many of the saints chosen for the 2019 World Youth Day in Panama are from Latin...

Fun facts about Panama

Panama is home to the famous Panama Canal that was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. Connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, it is...

Young people around the world are united during World Youth Day celebration

This January, young people from all over the world will be gathering in Panama City, Panama for a weeklong celebration called World Youth Day. The celebration is held in a...