Press Release July 26th 2013
Celebrations in Dublin and Brazil for World Youth Day
It has been confirmed that two young Irish Pilgrims will participate in one of the highlights of World Youth Day 2013, tomorrow night’s prayer Vigil with Pope Francis on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach.
One million young people will take part in the Vigil, which has been changed to the beach location due to heavy rain in Rio over the past three days.
Representing Irish Pilgrims in the Vigil Liturgy will be Dubliner Maeve Delargy from Mount Merrion in Dublin and Killian Barrett from Teemore in Co. Fermanagh who travelling with the Clogher Diocese.
Meanwhile, for those who were unable to travel to Brazil, a mirror event Rio in Dublin begins this evening (Friday) in St. Mary’s of the Angels Capuchin Church and Homeless Centre on Church St.
The packed Dublin programme begins at 6pm tonight, when the focus will be on social justice. It runs through until Sunday afternoon, when there will be live links to Brazil for the final Mass of World Youth Day with Pope Francis. The location for the next World Youth Day will be announced following this Mass.
Throughout the weekend pilgrims in Dublin keep in touch with their counterparts in Rio through social media and live skype and video links.
Tomorrow evening, participants will walk from four gathering points in the city arriving at Church St. Capuchin Friary and will enjoy Brazilian music and dancing at 7pm. Other music over the weekend includes the Dublin Gospel Choir and Teen Spirit. Throughout the night on Saturday and into the and early hours of Sunday, pilgrims will take part in prayer vigils from 1am to 4am, with prayers led by the Dublin Brazilian and Portuguese Communities and Taizé Dublin.
On Sunday, participants will hear from a variety of speakers, including Brother Kevin, who runs the busy Capuchin Food Centre on Bowe Street, which has seen demand on services spiral during the current economic crisis.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has been in Rio de Janerio for the past week with a group of over 30 young people from the Archdiocese of Dublin. ENDS
- Rio in Dublin is an initiative of the Archdiocese of Dublin’s Office of Evangelisation
