Month: July 2023
In 1986, St. John Paul II organized the first official World Youth Day in Rome, Italy. His goal was to create an event for young people to encounter Christ so that they in turn could spread the Gospel throughout the whole world. Since that time, Pope Benedict XVI and now Pope Francis have continued the tradition of World Youth Day, and the event has grown to be one of the largest, most well-known pilgrimage gatherings in the world.
This year, World Youth Day is being held in Lisbon, Portugal and will take place August 1-6, 2023. His Holiness, Pope Francis is scheduled to be in attendance as well as over 400,000 young people from around the world. Our Lord charged His disciples with the task of preaching the Gospel to all nations. As they witness the many cultures and countries represented at World Youth Day, young people can grasp the full reality of Christ’s call as they worship alongside peers from across the globe.
The theme of this year’s World Youth Day is taken from the Gospel of Luke Chapter 1, Verse 39: “Mary arose and went with haste.” This verse, taken from the story of the Visitation, reveals the selfless love of Our Lady as she put aside her own needs in order to go care for her cousin, Elizabeth. In the same way that Our Blessed Mother hastened to serve Elizabeth, young people today are called to fully embrace the Lord’s call in their life and go out on mission in service of others.
The events of World Youth Day are both prayerful and full of joy. Pilgrims will have the opportunity to participate in Mass, the welcome ceremony for the Holy Father, the Way of the Cross, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the Youth Festival, and more! One of the most beautiful parts of the pilgrimage is having the opportunity to meet other young Catholics from around the world as they all gather to celebrate and worship the source and summit of their life: Jesus Christ. As they are equipped by this powerful experience, young Catholics will have the grace and strength to go out and be missionaries in their daily life to a world that is longing for the message and love of God.
206 Tours has been blessed to bring pilgrims to participate in World Youth Day since 1990. As the event has grown over the years, so has the involvement of 206 Tours as we are organizing many pilgrimage groups to participate in this year’s festivities at Lisbon:
World Youth Day with Fr. Tim Farrell
World Youth Day – Lisbon with Archdiocese of Philadelphia
World Youth Day Pilgrimage with Jodi Murphy
World Youth Day – Lisbon and Paris
World Youth Day with Our Lady of Peace
World Youth Day – Lisbon and Fatima with St. Leo Catholic Church
World Youth Day – Lisbon and Fatima with Diocese of Trenton and Diocese of Camden
World Youth Day – Lisbon with Toledo and Madrid
World Youth Day – Lisbon, Fatima, and El Camino with the Duke Catholic Center
World Youth Day – Lisbon and Fatima with St. Mary Catholic Faith Community
In addition to experiencing the program of events for World Youth Day, 206 Tours pilgrims will also have the opportunity to visit the birthplace of St. Anthony of Padua in Lisbon. They will also visit Santarem, Portugal to venerate the site of the 13th Century Eucharistic Miracle as well as Fatima, the site of Our Lady’s famous apparitions to the three shepherd children in 1917.
Be sure to follow 206 Tours on social media as we share updates throughout World Youth Day and learn more about all available 206 Tours pilgrimages by viewing the Pilgrimage Directory.
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In her message on April 24, 1986, Our Lady of Medjugorje said, “Let all the young people be an example to others by their life and let them witness to Jesus.” Our Lady’s message still rings true today as the Church seeks to equip and minister to the next generation of Catholics. The town of Medjugorje in Bosnia & Herzegovina, the site of Our Lady’s alleged apparitions since 1981, has become a haven for the faithful, including young people who are seeking to grow in their faith.
Each year, the town of Medjugorje welcomes over 50,000 young pilgrims and 500 priests for the annual Youth Festival known as “Mladifest”. This special festival, taking place July 26th – 30th, 2023, is focused entirely on strengthening young people in their faith as pilgrimage groups from countries around the world gather in praise and worship of the Lord. The festival includes Mass, confession, adoration, candlelight processions, the Rosary, music, and times for prayer. In addition, young pilgrims can visit the many holy sites in Medjugorje including Apparition Hill and Mt. Krizevac (Cross Mountain).
In the Gospel of Matthew, Our Lord tells his disciples, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt 19:14). Going on pilgrimage offers young people the chance to experience their faith in a deeply personal way. By visiting holy sites and worshipping with other peers, the faith becomes truly their own and they return home strengthened and renewed by their experiences.
206 Tours has multiple groups that will be going on pilgrimage in Medjugorje at the time of this year’s Mladifest. It is a special privilege to bring young people to the place which served as the initial inspiration for 206 Tours back when our President and Founder, Milanka Lachman first visited Medjugorje in the early 1980’s. Since that time, 206 Tours has brought over 300,000 pilgrims to Medjugorje as Catholics from all over the world seek to visit this town which is so close to the heart of Our Lady. This year, Milanka will be returning to Medjugorje with her husband Charlie, her daughter Sandra Lippold (Vice President of 206 Tours), and Sandra’s husband and their children (Milanka’s grandchildren).
Be sure to follow 206 Tours on social media as we will be sharing updates from our pilgrimage groups present in Medjugorje for the 2023 Youth Festival! If you would like to learn more about going on pilgrimage to Medjugorje, visit 206 Tours website or contact us via email.
Additional Information Regarding the 34th Mladifest Youth Festival in Medjugorje
Mladifest Dates: July 26th-30th, 2023
Location: Medjugorje is accessible by 2.5 hour drive from 3 area airports: Split, Sarajevo, and Dubrovnik.
Accommodations: There are many and varied accommodations, including hotels and guesthouses, restaurants, and souvenir shops.
View the Full 206 Tours Pilgrimage Directory: www.206tours.com/pilgrimages
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