(CNS photo courtesy of World Youth Day Krakow 2016)
THE official logo and prayer for World Youth Day 2016 were unveiled in the event’s host city – Krakow, Poland –by the city’s archbishop, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz.
The Vatican released the information on the same day, July 3.
The logo and prayer focus on the theme chosen by Pope Francis from the Gospel of Matthew: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy”.
The logo, created by Monika Rybczynska, 28, with help from Emilia Pyza, 26, features a red and blue flame of Divine Mercy flowing from a gold cross that is surrounded by a red outline of the map of Poland. A gold dot represents the city of Krakow on the map and symbolises the youth. The red, blue and yellow colours represent the official colours of Krakow and the city’s coat of arms.
The prayer begins with a line from St John Paul II’s homily at the dedication of the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow in 2002: “God, merciful father, in your son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the comforter, we entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman.”
The Archdiocese of Krakow is the former see of St John Paul and is home to the Divine Mercy shrine. St John Paul had a great devotion to Divine Mercy, the recognition of God’s mercy as demonstrated in his sending his son to die for the sins of humanity.
The international gathering is scheduled for July 26-31, 2016, with Pope Francis and youth from all over the world.
CNS
