HANDOVER TO SYDNEY

The Germany - Australia Handover of the WYD Cross & Icon, Palm Sunday 2006, Rome

On Palm Sunday, 9 April 2006, his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI presided over a Palm Sunday Mass followed by the handover of the WYD Cross & Icon of Our Lady. The handover marked the formal commencement of Sydney's role in hosting WYD08.

The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, led an Australian delegation of WYD08 organisers and 70 young people representing all the Australian Dioceses, to Rome to accept the WYD Cross & Icon.

During the handover ceremony, His Holiness said,
Dear brothers and sisters, the handover of the cross, after each of the world meetings, has become a "tradition," in the proper sense of a "tradition": a highly symbolic handover, which must be lived with great faith, committing oneself to a journey of conversion in Jesus' steps.

After visiting several countries in Africa, to manifest the closeness of Christ and of his Mother to the peoples of that continent affected by so many sufferings, the cross and the Marian icon will be received next February in different regions of Oceania, and eventually travel to dioceses of Australia, until it reaches Sydney in July 2008. It is a spiritual pilgrimage that involves the whole Christian community, particularly young people.

...we pray to the Lord with faith that this Cross and Icon be instruments of peace and reconciliation between people and nations, and invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary on the new pilgrimage, which begins today, so that it will be fruitful.

After visiting several countries in Africa, to manifest the closeness of Christ and of his Mother to the peoples of that continent affected by so many sufferings, the cross and the Marian icon will be received next February in different regions of Oceania, and eventually travel to dioceses of Australia, until it reaches Sydney in July 2008. It is a spiritual pilgrimage that involves the whole Christian community, particularly young people.

[After the handover of the cross and icon, the Pope added:]

...we pray to the Lord with faith that this Cross and Icon be instruments of peace and reconciliation between people and nations, and invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary on the new pilgrimage, which begins today, so that it will be fruitful.

Pope Benedict XVI, Rome, Palm Sunday 2006

Read the Testimonies and see the Photos from the Palm Sunday Handover here .