Young pilgrims from the Dunedin diocese gathered at Holy Cross College in Mosgiel on Saturday, to prepare for World Youth Day.
Held in Sydney from July 15-20, the event was a great opportunity for young Roman Catholics, co-ordinator Fr Vaughan Leslie (32) said.
‘‘The World Youth Day is a chance for young people from around the world to meet and share what they have in common: their faith in Christ.''
With 134 young people from the Otago-Southland diocese attending the event, a get together to discuss World Youth Day was held at Holy Cross College at Mosgiel on Saturday.
More than 100 people attended, taking part in group activities, with another gathering planned for June.
‘‘One of the reasons for having a day together, is to get people used to the simple living we will have over there,'' he said.
Because of the large number of people attending the event, Fr Leslie said, the Otago Southland group would be staying in a school hall and ‘‘they will have to become accustomed to sleeping on airbeds''.
‘‘But everyone is very excited about the event. More than 4000 young New Zealanders will be attending World Youth Day and it will be one of the largest pilgrimages of New Zealanders going overseas.''
An initiative of the late Pope John Paul II, the first World Youth Day was held in Rome on Palm Sunday, 1986.
This year's event will be marked by the first visit to Australia by Pope Benedict XVI.
Last held in Cologne, Germany, in 2005, the event attracted 1.2 million people to its final Mass, with 700,000 expected at this year's event.
The chosen site for World Youth Day, Randwick race course, upset the Sydney racing fraternity after complaints the racecourse was at risk from the number of people attending the event.
The problem was alleviated after the federal and state governments agreed to compensate the industry.
