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WYD - Cuatro Vientos will be a giant celebration

Salt + Light Media

Friday, August 19, 2011

World Youth Day in Madrid ends this weekend with a giant celebration. The setting for it all is Cuatro Vientos, an air base whose length is equivalent to 48 football fields--an area capable of hosting the over one million people expected to attend the events with the Holy Father.
Fr. Javier Cremades, in charge of all main events, has ensured that the events to be held in the Madrilenian air base will all be part of "a giant celebration." Cremades highlighted that "this is the first part of the celebration, as the experience they live here will later go on to reach every corner of the world after World Youth Day."
This celebration of the Pope with young people on Saturday afternoon will be a festive gathering centered around the Eucharist. The Monstrance of Arfe, a masterpiece of Spanish gold, provided courtesy of the Cathedral of Toledo, will be used for the main celebration on Saturday night.
Cuatro Vientos Air Base will open its doors tomorrow at noon to welcome young people who will start arriving to attend the final celebration of WYD. From 2:00 pm onwards, there will be acts held on the main stage, which is already being built at the airfield. Throughout the afternoon, a team of young people will be ready and waiting to greet the hundreds of thousands of young people who will come to meet with the Pope in Madrid. Participants will enjoy performances from the winners of the “Tuned into Madrid” (“Madrid me encanta”) contest, as well as from other groups from around the world. Prior to the Pope’s arrival, there will be flash mob attended by over 100,000 people.
After the acts on Saturday, young people will spend the night at the aerodrome. In the area in which young people will pass the night, there will be 17 Eucharistic Adoration tents, where attendees will be able to continue the vigil.
The next day will be the closing Mass for WYD, which will also be presided by Benedict XVI. The Mass will feature the presence of the Choir and Symphony Orchestra of WYD, in collaboration with the Donostiarra Choir and the Choir of El Escorial. After the Mass, the Pope will announce where the next WYD will be held.
The air base will have 8 health camps to offer first aid on the spot. The numbers are in proportion to the volume of people expected: 48 sound towers and 20 giant screens will allow young people to follow the ceremonies.
The WYD National Committee has also placed special emphasis on the care of disabled youth attending WYD. They will have two special areas, one for intellectual and physical disabilities and another for the hearing and visually impaired.


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