Rome, Italiy (2000)
Date: 15-20 August 2000
Pontificate: John Paul II
Theme: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14)
Song: Emmanuel
The hope of seeing Jesus dwell in the midst of his people was tangible, especially on the night of the vigil. Amidst sleeping bags and tents, prayers resounded in all the languages of the world in the meadows and on the gentle slopes of the Tor Vergata esplanade. Under a clear night sky full of stars, it seemed as if a huge carpet of lights and sounds had been laid out. Everything was incredibly tuned in to the same wavelength, in a sort of general harmony that affected everyone and everything. The theme of this WYD chosen by John Paul II could be clearly understood in spirit: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us”. (John 1:14). More than two and a half million young people responded to the Pope’s invitation: “If you believe that Christ has revealed the Father’s love for every creature, you have to strive to contribute to the building of a new world founded on the power of love and forgiveness, on rejection of injustice and all physical, moral and spiritual misery, and on trying to steer politics, economics, culture and technology to the service of human beings and their integral development.” It is a difficult world, but one in which, with the help of grace, it is possible to build a new civilisation. “It is life and love that have the last word because God came to dwell among us so that we may dwell in God.”
All of the Holy Father’s speeches at WYD in Rome: https://www.vatican.va/gmg/years/gmg_2000_en.html
Summary based on the data sheet published by frontierarieti.com, organ of the Diocese of Rieti.