50,000 pilgrims

[Rosina Lila]

Hello you all,
A pilgrimage by 50,000 young European people has been called "the most
important pilgrimage to Santiago this Holy Year".
Fr. Roberto Martinez, the delegate from the Archdiocese in charge of
organizing the mega-pilgrimage, has commenced the preparations to receive the young
people in Santiago on August 8th.
The young people will be coming from several points in Spain, Portugal,
Italy, France, the UK, Germany, Lithuania, Letonia (?), Estoia (?), the Check
Republic, Eslovakia (?) Holland, Austria, the Ukraine and other European countries.
The pilgrimage was organized by the Santiago Archbishop, Msgr. Julian Barrio,
and the Spanish Episcopal Conference together with the Compostela Jubilee
Year Commission and the Galician Xunta.
Fr.Martinez informs that representatives of the new Spanish government and
the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, will attend.
Everyone knows the fondness of the Pope for young people.  You may remember
that at the Pope's Youth Meeting in Paris eight years ago the Parisian
authorities were caught quite by surprise when nearly a million young people showed
up.  In  the year 2,000 the authorities in Rome were well prepared to receive
the million and a half young people who attended the Pope's Youth Forum in that
city,  (they slept at the Coliseum, in the parks, in Saint Peter's Square,
etc., and were fed  by the Roman citizens).  Because of this history Fr. Martinez
said that it would not be altogether unexpected if the Pope. despite his
frail state of health, were to  make an appearance.  The Pope, as we all know,
walked the Camino twice, first  as a young and then as a middle-aged priest. As a
Pope he has gone to Santiago, wherefrom the monument on Monte del Gozo.
Although  50,000 pilgrims alighting in a fairly small city such as Santiago
may seem a daunting prospect, it appears that the organizers are well prepared.
The young pilgrims have a web page,
                                                   www.pej2004.org
which can be read in Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese
and Galician.
Reportedly they will walk the last three days, Aug.5-Aug.8, together.
While the other Youth Forums invited all to participate, and young people
from several coun tries in America went both to Paris and to Rome I wonder why
this pilgrimage is confined to Europeans.  They must have a reason, however
(perhaps the fact that they are working on a "European Constitution?). If I find
out what the reason might be I'll let you know.
Warm regards,
Rosina
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