Indian pilgrims at Panama World
Youth Day
 |
| Insian delegation at World Youth Day 2019 in Panama. |
Some 56 young people from across India are in Panama City to
celebrate the 34th World Youth Day with Pope Francis.
By Robin Gomes
An Indian delegation of some 56 young people is in Panama
City to celebrate the Catholic Church’s 34th World Youth Day
(WYD) with Pope Francis.
The young pilgrims from across India landed in Panama on
Jan. 15 and were hosted in the parish of Atalaya in the Diocese of
Santiago de Veraguas, for the preliminary “Days in the Dioceses”
events of the WYD.
They are accompanied by 9 priests, a nun, Auxiliary
Bishop Joseph Pandarasseril of Kottayam and Father Deepak
Thomas, executive secretary of the Youth Commission of the Catholic
Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI).
Fr Thomas told AsiaNews that they took part in spiritual,
cultural and social initiatives.
During a Eucharistic celebration on 17 January, the Indian
delegation demonstrated the culture of their country.
The next day they dedicated themselves
to mission and sharing tourism, including planting trees in response
to the “green” exhortation of Pope Francis in his encyclical, “Laudato Si”.
Over the weekend they celebrated sports and
the f amily , and joined children and Bishop Audilio
Aguilar Aguilar of Santiago de Veraguas on a pilgrimage from the
chapel of St Anthony to Atalaya.
Panamanian hospitality
Nadine Pereira, one of the Indian participants, spoke
to AsiaNews about the warmth with which they were received at Atalaya.
She said the welcome they received with dance and music on arrival at Atalaya
at midnight, made them forget the fatigue of their 20-hour flight and a 4-hour
bus ride to their hosts.
Each family in Atalaya hosted two Indians for the “Days in
the Dioceses”.
Another Indian, Rinita Juliana Francis, spoke
about young pilgrims from other countries at the parish of St John the
Evangelist Church.
Dressed in their traditional costumes, “Hundreds of pilgrims
waved their national flags and danced to the beat of the drums played by
Panamanian soldiers.” “As the evening progressed,” she noted, “pilgrims
sang songs of praise and worship and danced to music from the Mauritius,
Colombia, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, India” with participants from “each nation
putting on a grand show”.
Francis expressed appreciation for the Panamanians saying
they are a “hospitable, emotional and generous people”. They are proud of
their culture and tradition, especially Spanish music. “The way the singers and
the people participate in the Holy Eucharist is amazing,” she added.
In Panama City, the Indian youth are guests at the Church of
Santa Eduviges. (Source: AsiaNews)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét