AYD closing, 21.000 youth at the AYD 7 in Indonesia.

By Our Own Correspondent

Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 6 August 2017 -- 7th Asian Youth Day held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia (July 30 - August 6) with the theme "Joyful Asian Youth! Living the Gospel in Multicultural Asia" was closed with a wonderful Eucharistic celebration last Sunday of the Transfiguration in the presence of thousand of young people from

The grand celebration of the Eucharist of Asian Youth Day 7 was attended by approximately 21,000 people, consisting of participants, committees, invited guests and parish representatives. The celebration of the Eucharist is led by Oswald Cardinal Grazias, as President of the FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops Conference). Homily delivered by Mgr. Ignatius Suharyo. Asian Youth Day is also supported by all officials and bureaucrats in Indonesia, and especially in Yogyakarta Special Region. Also attending the peak event of Asian Youth Day, Yogyakarta Special Governor, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X; Minister of Youth and Sports, Imam Nahrawi; Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ignatius Jonan; and Vice President of Indonesia, Muhammad Jusuf Kalla. The beating of the gong by Mr. Vice President marks the peak event of Asian Youth Day.

Asian Youth Day 7, became a piece of history on the journey of young Catholics in Asia. The encounter within Asian Youth Day is a joy. Through God, young people are sent to share joy with others. In this encounter, young people find identity of Asian identity, a beautiful continent and rich in country, religion and culture. Asian Youth Day 7 intercedes to learn the values ​​of life from multicultural reality in Asia as well as an opportunity to reflect on faith, hope and love to bring the message of peace in Asia. “I hope this activity encourages all of us to become more active and faithful in following the Gospel, so that our lives can be filled with happiness and faith,” said Mgr. Ignatius Suharyo in the closing of his homily

Asian Youth Day this time successfully brought the multicultural theme, one with the role of young Muslim fellows in the substance of the event.

At the peak event was also carried out handover of AYD cross to the next AYD host. The next Asian Youth Day will be held in India in 2020. Not stop at the ceremonial event, AYD is followed by AYMM (Asian Youth Ministers Meeting) as a follow-up and long-term planning for young people in Asia. AYMM was held at Pastor Sanjaya Muntilan on August 6-9, 2017 and was followed by bishops, priests and lay people involved in the national youth commission. See you at Asian Youth Day 8!

Also Pope Francis sent his message through the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin: His Holiness Pope Francis sends warm greetings and prayerful best wishes to all gathered in Yogyakarta for the seventh Asian Youth Day. He prays that young people from across Asia will listen ever more attentively to God’s call and respond with faith and courage to their vocation. As they prepare for the next World Youth Day, His Holiness invites them to look to the Mother of the Lord as a model of missionary discipleship, to speak to her as they would to a mother, and to trust always in her loving intercession. In this way, as they seek to follow Christ Jesus more closely, they too, like the young woman of Nazareth, can truly “improve the world and leave an imprint that makes a mark on history” (Message to Young People, 21 March 2017). Entrusting all the youth and their families to the maternal intercession of Our Lady, Pope Francis gladly imparts his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of peace and joy in the Lord.

In this Asian Youth Day, we do realize our differences: we are of different nationalities, different languages, different cultures, and so on. However, in this event, we do realize and experience that those differences cannot separate us, but the differences show the richness of the united humanity instead. It proves that the power of faith, hope and love unites us. And we hope this event encourages all of us to diligently and faithfully live out Gospel so that we may be filled with the joy of the Gospel. Thus, our life could mirror the glory of the Lord, which changes our lives.

AYD 7 official website: https://asianyouthday.org/

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