Toronto, July 15, 2002 - World Youth Day (WYD) today announced its events that are open to all members of the public.

Fr. Thomas Rosica, C.S.B., National Director and C.E.O. of WYD, said: "The young pilgrims have already started arriving. In one week Pope John Paul II will make his pilgrimage to Canada to join us. I hope that many people from the Greater Toronto Area will join the Pope and the youth of the world at the public moments of World Youth Day: the Papal Welcoming Ceremony at Exhibition Place, the Way of the Cross through the heart of Toronto, and the Papal Mass at Downsview Lands. Catholics and all people of good will are invited to take part in this great celebration of hope and peace."

Members of the public can attend the events listed below. Transit information is available on the following pages.

Papal Welcoming Ceremony

Exhibition Place

Thursday, July 25
4:00 p.m. Papal drive through crowd
4:30-6:30 p.m. Ceremony on stage

Public viewing areas with large screens will be near Lakeshore Avenue West and Battery Park. This event will feature music, prayer and messages of welcome for the Pope from young people of the world.

Way of the Cross

Nathan Phillips Square then University Avenue ending at the Royal Ontario Museum

Friday, July 26, 7:30-10:00 p.m.

Note that the Pope will not be present.

A group of 20 young people will re-enact the final hours of the life and death of Jesus Christ by walking up University Avenue and stopping at 14 stations where stages will be set up. This will be a quiet and reflective moment with people staying in one place and the actors moving along. Large screens will show the actors as they make their way.

Papal Mass

Downsview Lands

Sunday, July 28
8:45 a.m. Papal drive through crowd
9:30 a.m. Papal Mass

Noon Approximate end time of Mass

This Mass is open to the public. It is the concluding moment of WYD and will draw the largest crowd.

Given the large crowds at these events, using the TTC is recommended. Anyone who attends should plan for extra travel time, long walks, hot conditions and extended time standing up. For information on road restrictions, call Access Toronto at (416) 338-0338.

Fr. Rosica said: "I want to thank the City of Toronto, the TTC, GO Transit, the GTA transit authorities and Downsview Park for their invaluable help and cooperation in transporting the pilgrims and guests to World Youth Day events."

Another event open to the public is the 500-voice WYD Choir Gala Concert at the Molson Amphitheatre of Ontario Place. It will take place at 8:45 p.m. on Thursday, July 25. Tickets are $20 and can be ordered by calling 1-877-MY-CHOIR. For more information on the Choir, visit http://wydchoir.com.

The Royal Ontario Museum’s exhibit Images of Salvation: Masterpieces form the Vatican and other Italian Collections is another part of WYD open to the public, running from June 8 to August 11. It consists of over 100 paintings, sculptures and liturgical objects. For more information, call (416) 586-8000 or visit www.rom.on.ca.

WYD is the international youth conference and papal visit to Canada from July 18-28 that will bring hundreds of thousands of people from 150 countries to Toronto. Information is available at www.wyd2002.org or call the WYD Info Centre at (416) 913-2080.

For more information, contact:

Paul Kilbertus

Tel.: (416) 913-2088, ext. 653
Cell: (416) 771-7451