Toronto, Canada (2002)

Date: 23-28 July 2002

Pontificate: John Paul II

Theme: “You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world” (Matthew 5: 13,14)  

Song: Light of the World, Lumière du Monde

In his message, the pope used a comparison between salt and baptism. Just as salt seasons and gives flavour to food, “through Baptism, our whole being has been profoundly changed because it has been ‘seasoned’ with the new life which comes from Christ (cf. Romans 6:4)”. Salt is used for seasoning and also for preserving food. Our baptism is like this. It gives identity to Christians, and this is consolidated over time as people grow in understanding and in their response to God’s call. The pope invited young people to explore the history of the Church and the Christian roots of civilisation. They should allow themselves to be inspired by witnesses of faith as they look to a life of apostolate to which every Christian is called. Light also has a powerful evocative power that can be connected to everyday life and the history of all humanity. The pope referred to humanity’s fear of the darkness of night and our anxious wait for morning light. He then repeated a symbolic image of WYD youth that he first used in Rome 2000. He called them “sentinels of dawn” – those who proclaim the coming of the sun which is the risen Christ. Holiness is the perspective that John Paul II proposed to young people, because “holiness gives full meaning to life, making it a reflection of the glory of God”.

All of the Holy Father’s speeches at WYD in Toronto: https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/travels/2002/travels/documents/trav_canada-guatemala-mexico-2002.html

Summary based on the data sheet published by frontierarieti.com, organ of the Diocese of Rieti.