Young people from all over Europe gathered last week (August 3-7) in Santiago de Compostela (Spain) for the European Youth Pilgrimage (PEJ22). The city has prepared to welcome some 12,000 young pilgrims from different European countries, who arrived along the 11 routes of the Camino de Santiago.

This initiative also serves as a preparation for the Lisbon World Youth Day 2023, which will be held exactly one year from now. The two gatherings also share the theme of awakening and being witnesses of the Church, in the case of PEJ22 with the motto “Young people, get up and be witnesses, the Apostle St. James is waiting for you” and in the case of WYD Lisbon 2023 with the motto “Mary got up and left in haste”.

In addition to the participation of the Portuguese youth, were also present the Bishop Américo Aguiar, auxiliary bishop of Lisbon and president of the WYD Lisbon Foundation, and Cardinal António Marto, bishop emeritus of Leiria-Fatima and special envoy of Pope Francis.

In a video message addressed to the young people, Cardinal António Marto, who presided over the closing celebrations of PEJ22, said that this initiative is a “first stage, a first station” towards WYD Lisbon 2023.

During the days of PEJ22 there were activities throughout the city of Santiago de Compostela, including catechesis sessions, formation workshops, performances, concerts, cultural visits and prayer sessions. Representatives of WYD Lisbon 2023 were present in various parts of the city, such as Obradoiro Square, Cervantes Square, Alameda Park, San Francisco (Rua do campiño de San Francisco), Mazarelos Square, to “activate the brand” WYD Lisbon 2023 with young people. For Father Filipe Diniz, “Filipe Diniz, director of the National Department of Youth Pastoral (DNPJ), the national pilgrims are “ambassadors” of WYD Lisbon 2023, in the hope that they can “encourage” other participants.

The WYD Symbols – the Pilgrim Cross and the icon of Our Lady Salus Populi Romani – were also present at PEJ22, as part of the itinerary of the pilgrimage of the Symbols that is underway, thus announcing WYD Lisbon 2023. “It is important because the presence of the Symbols at this meeting serves as a promotion for World Youth Day 2023. It is a visible sign of promotion and convocation for the meeting in Lisbon”, said the director of the DNPJ to Ecclesia Agency.

All the information, as well as the complete program of PEJ22, can be consulted on the official website of the initiative.