International pilgrims make New Zealand detour
09 Jul 2008
More than 4000 young Catholics are visiting New Zealand as part of an international pilgrimage to Australia to see Pope Benedict XVI for World Youth Day 2008.
The visitors from the Americas, Europe, the Pacific and Africa are enjoying a brief stop over in New Zealand before teaming up with about 4000 Kiwi Catholics to travel to Sydney for six days of World Youth Day celebrations next week. Sydney is expecting 400,000 people for some events and up to half a million for the final mass with Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday July 20.
Organisers say the Kiwi contingent will form one of the largest single groups to leave New Zealand for a non-sporting or non-wartime event.
While they’re in New Zealand the international visitors will enjoy religious functions as well as film, music, sight-seeing and community activities.
Super Thursday
One New Zealand youth leader said the event was creating huge excitement as it was so rare to see the Pope in this part of the world.
She said there was a growing terminology around the Pope's arrival at Sydney Harbour. "They're starting to call it Super Thursday. Seeing the Pope on the water in a boat-a-cade with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background is going to be really special."
During their time in Auckland the international pilgrims were to be involved in projects including track building in the Hunua Ranges west of Auckland city and cleaning up a cemetery on the city’s North Shore.
They were also due to be formally welcomed at a civic reception which included an address by Governor-General Anand Satyanand.
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