The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has announced a special gathering of Canadian youth set for July 29 as part of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year celebrations. The Canadian ceremony will take place at the Sant’Andrea della Valle Church in Rome.

The Jubilee of Youth kicks off on July 28 and runs until Aug. 3. The special event will bring together thousands of young people from across the world for a week of prayer, catechesis, cultural exchange and joyful witness.

An estimated 1,000 young people from across Canada are expected to make the pilgrimage to Rome – among them, a delegation of 100 from the Archdiocese of Toronto’s Office of Catholic Youth.

The group will begin their journey in Venice and make their way through multiple cities and sacred landmarks including Padua, Florence, Assisi and ending their travels in Rome to mark the Jubilee celebrations. Their sacred stops will include visits to the Basilica of St. Anthony, the Cathedral of St. Maria del Fiore, the Basilica of St. Francis, the Basilica of St. Clare, the Vatican and the Holy Doors.

Several bishops from Canada will be in attendance at the July 29 Jubilee event – joined by priests, deacons, religious sisters, brothers and lay leaders accompanying the young pilgrims.

The two-hour program will feature a youth-led welcome, a bilingual proclamation of Scripture, dynamic witness panels from youth and bishops, multicultural praise and worship, small group faith sharing and musical performances.

The event will conclude with a commissioning prayer and symbolic sending forth – encouraging Canadian youth to continue their Jubilee pilgrimage with renewed purpose and joy.

The Catholic faithful across Canada are invited to pray for the young pilgrims, as they seek to deepen their relationship with Christ and with one another, offering a powerful witness to the Church’s life and vitality in Canada and across the world.

For updates throughout the Jubilee of Youth, follow along the Office of Catholic Youth’s social media on Instagram and Facebook. For more information on the Jubilee of Youth, please visit https://bit.ly/JubileeOfYouth.