Archdiocesan Meeting of the Youth at Velehrad had a Great Response

27. 3. 2013

Velehrad: In the morning, participants did not get discouraged from the five kilometer long on-foot journey from the station to Velehrad, not even by the freezing wind. During the morning program individual deaneries and centers for the youth introduced themselves in the crowded basilica.

The theme of the catechesis of Archbishop Jan Graubner was the motto of this year's World Youth Day, "Go and make disciples of all nations." The archbishop asked young people not to be afraid to testify and to offer Christ to their contemporaries. As a gift from the archbishop participants received a book composed of many testimonies to the faith. Two particular testimnonies of young people about their life with faith were presented live. After the prayer called The Angel of the Lord there was a space for lunch but also for the sacrament of reconciliation and viewing stalls with presentations of church schools and activities for volunteers.

In the afternoon, the participants had a chance to take part in eleven different lectures. A varied offer included a lecture presented by an archaeologist, doc. Ludek Galuška, about life in the period of Cyril and Methodius; the vice-chairman of the Christian KDU-CSL political party, Marián Jurečka, spoke about Christians in politics; and the Kvapilíks talked about relationships. There were also topical spiritual themes, like vocation, confession and prayer. For culture lovers, there was a concert of a group called Oboroh and a theatrical performance that emerged from notes of an imprisoned priest. Those who did not want or could not get squeezed into lecture halls, could make use of their creativity in art workshops. There was adoration in the basilica as well, which was led by a community called Blahoslavenství.

Photo Anna Bekárková The whole meeting finished with a holy mass. During the mass, priests distributed a copy of a little cross to each participant in person. The cross was found during excavations and it dates back to the period of the Great Moravian Empire. For some participants from smaller parishes the very fact that so many believers gathered at one place served as a testimony to the faith. "I did not expect at all that there would be so many people there. It was beautiful when the whole church sang songs along with the choir," Tomáš from Jevíčko describes his experiences.

This year's attendance was a pleasant surprise for the organizers from the Center for the Youth as well. It surpassed last year's meeting which took place in Olomouc and at Svaty Kopeček in 2011. The atmosphere created by more than 1,700 young Christians had an impact on the participants themselves, "I am glad so many young people came to meet the Christ. It was very encouraging to see tens of young people boarding the train gradually along the way," said Marteo from Strážnice. After the holy mass, trains and buses were ordered and took the participants home, where they can keep passing the testimonies to the faith on and on.

Jan Pilař, Center for the Youth