World Youth Day symbols coming to Ballina
The symbols of World Youth Day – the world’s largest youth event — will be in Ballina on Monday, August 6.
The symbols are the Cross, a 3.8m by 1.75m wooden cross weighing 31kg, and the Icon of Our Lady, a copy of the painting of Salus Populi Romani (Protectress of the Roman People).
World Youth Day Parish Leader Gerard MacMahon, pictured at Skennars Head, of East Ballina, will help oversee what he says will be major event for the Catholic Church in Ballina.
The Cross and the Icon were handed over to the Lismore Diocese this week in Laurieton.
On Monday at Skennars Head, there will be a candle procession of the Cross and Icon from Sharps Beach about 4pm. It will be welcomed to Xavier Catholic College at Skennars Head from 4.30.
At 9pm the Cross and Icon will be at St Francis Xavier’s Church in Ballina where there will be the oppportunity for prayerful reverance.
The Cross and Icon have been taken around the world, most recently through the Pacific Islands. They have been in places such as Russia, New York City, Rwanda and North and South Korea.
World Youth Day is being staged in Sydney from July 15-20 next year. An anticipated 500,000 pilgrims are expected to attend what will be the first visit to Australia by Pope Benedict XVI.
