August 23, 2018

WASHINGTON—To mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first and only World Youth Day (WYD) in the United States (in Denver, Colorado, in August 1993), the official World Youth Day Cross and Marian Icon will make a five-city tour across the United States in August 2018.

From August 19 to 27, the WYD symbols are making stops in Chicago (Aug 19-21), Miami (Aug 21-23), Houston (Aug 23-24), Washington DC (Aug 24-25), and Los Angeles (Aug 26-27).

Each of the five locations will feature special events and liturgical celebrations in commemoration of this historic journey. After leaving the United States, the WYD Cross and Marian Icon will continue onto Panamá, where it will tour that country in advance of the next international WYD with Pope Francis, which is being held there in January 2019.

At least ten U.S. bishops will be part of the pilgrimage including Abp. José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles; Abp. William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore; and Abp. Thomas G. Wenski, Archbishop of Miami; Bp. Frank J. Caggiano, Bishop of Bridgeport; Bp. Barry C. Knestout, Bishop of Richmond; Bp. Roy E. Campbell and Bp. Mario E. Dorsonville-Rodríguez, Auxiliary Bishops of Washington; Bp. George Rassas, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago; Bp. George A. Sheltz, Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston; and Bp. Marc Trudeau, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles. Abp. José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, O.S.A., Archbishop of Panamá and host of WYD 2019, will also be present at the events in Miami and Washington DC.

The visit of the WYD symbols takes place 25 years since their last organized tour within the USA, when they preceded the August 1993 WYD celebration with St. John Paul II. Over 500,000 young people traveled to Denver for that landmark event. Since then, the U.S. has actively participated in the global WYD celebrations, held every 2 or 3 years in different cities around the world.

“We want women and men of all ages to come out and encounter these important symbols of faith when they are here in our country,” said Bp. Caggiano, who also serves as the USCCB’s chief liaison for WYD. “In addition to those preparing to go to Panamá, we hope that young people and young adults who are unable to travel to World Youth Day next year will be part of these local celebrations. We also hope that veterans of past World Youth Days, including those who went to Denver in 1993, will have a chance to join us along the way.”

Details about the specific events in each city can be found at www.wydusa.org.