Pope Benedict joins young people ‘spiritually on the march’ for WYD in Cologne

Vatican City, Jul 17, 2005 / 22:00 pm

Pope Benedict XVI prayed his traditional Sunday angelus while vacationing in the Italian alps yesterday, and excitedly told young people there that, “we will all meet in Cologne.”

Following the noontime prayer, the Holy Father greeted the bishop, priests, religious, families and local authorities of northwestern Italy’s Valle d'Aosta region, where he is spending his summer holiday. He assured those who had gathered of his special prayers for the sick and suffering and greeted sick and disabled in the front rows of the crowd.

The Pope then addressed young people and said, "You have come to my first Angelus in the mountains. We are already spiritually on the march to Cologne. We will all meet in Cologne!"

Pope Benedict XVI will travel to Cologne, in his native Germany on August 18th through 21st for the 20th World Youth Day, a celebration instituted by his predecessor, John Paul II.