Next World Youth Day to be held in Canada in 2002

VATICAN CITY, AUG 20, 2000 (VIS) - At the conclusion of today's Mass at Rome's Tor Vergata University and prior to praying the angelus, the Holy Father announced that "the next World Youth Day will be held in Toronto, Canada, in the summer of 2002."

He went on: "Right from now I invite the young people of the world to set out for Toronto, and I offer a special greeting to the Canadian delegation, who wanted to be here at this celebration to accept the task which will be theirs."

The Holy Father asked the Blessed Virgin "to watch over all the youth of the world" and expressed his "heartfelt thanks to you who have taken part in this 15th World Youth Day." He also extended his gratitude to all the ecclesial and civil authorities who participated in organizing the event, concluding: "I ask all of you to see to it that the rich legacy of good which this common undertaking has produced is not wasted."

ANG/WORLD YOUTH DAY/TOR VERGATA VIS 20000820 (180)
20. august 2001