POURING rain and windy conditions couldn’t stop more than 500 young people, families a
nd some older people making the annual Palm Sunday walk with Archbishop George Pell through the streets of Melbourne on April 8.
The day dawned wet and grey but the spirits of the pilgrims never quailed.
The group, primarily comprising people aged 18 to 30, gathered at St Augustine’s Church at the top of Bourke St.
Parish priest, Fr Wahid Riad blessed the palms being used for the procession and the group took part in an Easter prayer.
This year, the procession also included a band of musicians above the crowd on the back of a truck.
The crowd prayed three Stations of the Cross outside St Augustine’s before the procession started.
As the 500 people started to make their way down Bourke St in the pouring rain, the musicians put away their guitars and used their voices to uplift and entertain the crowd.
Representatives from Melbourne’s Catholic Youth Ministry, Ana Snjaric, said even the pouring rain couldn’t dull the laughter and spirit of the people in the procession.
“A girl I spoke to who was a musician on the truck said she didn’t mind getting drenched because everyone was so happy.”
A further four Stations of the Cross were prayed outside the Myers store in Bourke St and another four outside Parliament House.
Finally, the four remaining stations were prayed outside St Patrick’s Cathedral, the procession’s final point of call.
Inside the cathedral, Archbishop George Pell and several priests concelebrated a special youth Mass commemorating World Youth Day 2001 for more than 700 people.
During the Mass, other priests were hearing continual confessions.
World Youth Day falls on Palm Sunday every second year and every alternate year sees a gathering of young pilgrims from across the globe. The next World Youth Day gathering is due to be held in Toronto, Canada.
The youth were heavily involved in the Mass, providing the singing and music, offertory procession and the prayers of intercession.
After the youth Mass a light supper was served and various archdiocesan youth groups provided light entertainment for the huge crowd.
