Manila (AsiaNews) – More than 2,000 young people from 22 Asian countries gathered today in Cavite (Manila) for the fifth Asian Youth Day (AYD), which ends next Friday. The meeting aims at “renewing the faith of Asian youth, in love for the Word of God and the Eucharist,” said Fr Ramon Licuanan, one of the organisers, “making the youth participants in the transformation of the dioceses in Asia.”
This year’s edition is taking place in the Philippines, one of the two predominantly Catholic countries of Asia. The other is East Timor.
It is a great opportunity, especially for young people living in countries were religious freedom is denied like mainland China, Myanmar, Vietnam or Cambodia. Indeed, the largest delegation (83) is from China.
Through catechism, testimonials, pilgrimages as well as staying with Filipino families, young people will have an opportunity of directly experiencing life in a Christian community.
“We want them to experience the life in our parishes,” said Bishop Baylon, chairman of the Commission on Youth of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. This way they will be able to show young Filipino the face of the Church in its various Asian contexts.
Organised for the first in 1999 in Thailand, the AYD is held every three years. It consists of three days of meetings designed to deepen participants’ spiritual and cultural understanding of their faith. The last time it was held was in Hong Kong, in 2006.
