240 Youths from Mideast in Attendance

TORONTO, JULY 23, 2002 (Zenit.org).- About 240 young people from the troubled Mideast are participating in World Youth Day.

Around 100 young people from Palestine left Jerusalem a few days earlier to take part in a Peace Forum in Paris with European youth, guests of the Fraternite Monastique de Jerusalem, and Church of St. Gervais in Paris, before traveling on to Toronto.

A group of 41 young people from Israel - Arab Christians from Galilee - have been in Canada since July 17 taking part with other youth in preparations organized by the Archdiocese of Montreal.

Jordan also has a delegation of about 100 young participants in Toronto.

Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem is among bishops attending the event. He will impart catechesis in Arabic, French and English for groups coming from the Arab world.

Commenting on the participation of young people of the Holy Land, Father Raed Abusahlia, chancellor of the Latin Patriarchate, told the Vatican agency Fides: «We are sure that this will be a great occasion for them to meet other young people from all over the world.»

ZENIT - The World Seen from Rome
23. juli 2002