Alexandra Jaegy, edited by Alexandre Dalifard / Photo credit: NUNO CRUZ / NURPHOTO / NURPHOTO VIA AFP
As World Youth Day ends on Sunday with a closing mass by Pope Francis, young Catholics from all over the world will sleep this Saturday evening under the stars in a park located in the suburbs of Lisbon. On the program of this great vigil: concerts, shows, moments of prayer and silence throughout the night.
The last hours of World Youth Day in Lisbon. These World Youth Days will end on Sunday morning with a closing mass by Pope Francis. The sovereign pontiff, on a whirlwind visit to Fatima this Saturday afternoon, is expected by nearly a million young Catholics from all over the world. Young people who go this Saturday evening to sleep under the stars in a park located in the inner suburbs of Lisbon and fitted out for the occasion.
On the program of this long-awaited great vigil: concerts, shows, moments of prayer and silence throughout the night.
“Boiling for Everyone”
Floor mats and tarpaulins cover the 90 hectares of the park. Most of the young pilgrims came on foot, in the exhausting heat, like Edmond, who arrived very early to be well placed. “We’re a little tight because we barely have a square meter per person. We just have the sleeping bag for some and we settle down. We’re ready to spend the night here. Otherwise, we have giant screens everywhere to enjoy the concerts, it’s quite nice”, he rejoices at the microphone of Europe 1.
Edmond and his friends are very impressed, like Laure, installed a little further, whose eyes light up watching the crowd. “It’s nice to see so many Christians in the same place. It’s quite an abnormal situation. The Lord said that when we pray in a group, it was super effective. There, I think we can’t make a bigger group, so he will be very happy”, confirms this Christian.
This young Parisian is now impatiently awaiting the Pope’s closing mass. Like Diane, she is already moved. “I’m really expecting something superb. In terms of atmosphere, general atmosphere, I think it’s going to be a moment of very strong emotion. Boiling for everyone, I can’t wait”, assures you -She. Diane and her friends have planned a few card games around a picnic to pass the time. They will also meet other young foreigners. On site, more than a million faithful are expected in the suburbs of Lisbon.