A screenshot of the National Youth Day page of the Commission on Youth-Cebu.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — With just a week left before the formal opening of the National Youth Day celebration, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said they are now on the last stages of their preparations.
Palma said that a lot of Cebuanos are already excited for the six-day celebration scheduled from April 23 to 28.
“Excited na ang kasagaran sa katawhan nga mo welcome sa kapin 12,000 ka youths nato. (Everyone is excited to welcome the 12,000 participants of the National Youth Day),” he said.
Out of town delegates are expected to start arriving in Cebu on Monday, April 22, and will be billeted in their assigned foster parishes and homes.
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Palma said that Archbishop Giordano Caccia of Italy is also coming to Cebu for the NYD celebration.
The opening program is scheduled at the Cebu City Sports Center the next day. This will include a late afternoon procession of the Holy Family from the sports center to the basilica where the opening Mass will also be celebrated.
Series of activities will then be held the rest of the week at the pre-identified festival sites and the hosts parishes. A pilgrim walk and vigil is scheduled on Saturday, April 27, while the closing Mass will be held on Sunday morning, April 28.
Palma said that they have long prepared for the event and is now in the process of finalizing the details of the six-day activity.
“I hope we can show our hospitality and support to the activities. We hope that these days will be meaningful and memorable for the youth,” said Palma.
Palma said that the NYD is a massive movement for the Church to engage the youth in their preparations for the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines in 2021.
He is hopeful that the series of NYD activities would remind the Catholic Church of the vital energy of the youth in the practice of faith. /dcb