杏MAP导航

By Robin Gomes

An Indian delegation of some 56 young people is in Panama City to celebrate the Catholic Church鈥檚 34^th World Youth Day (WYD)  with 杏MAP导航 Francis.

The young pilgrims from across India landed in Panama on Jan. 15 and were hosted in the parish of Atalaya in the Diocese of Santiago de Veraguas, for the preliminary 鈥�Days in the Dioceses鈥� events of the WYD. 

They are accompanied by 9 priests, a nun, Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Pandarasseril of Kottayam and Father Deepak Thomas, executive secretary of the Youth Commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI).

Fr Thomas told AsiaNews that they took part in spiritual, cultural and social initiatives.

During a Eucharistic celebration on 17 January, the Indian delegation demonstrated the culture of their country.

The next day they dedicated themselves to mission and sharing tourism, including planting trees in response to the 鈥済reen鈥� exhortation of 杏MAP导航 Francis in his encyclical, 鈥淟audato Si鈥�.

Over the weekend they celebrated sports and the f amily , and joined children and Bishop Audilio Aguilar Aguilar of Santiago de Veraguas on a pilgrimage from the chapel of St Anthony to Atalaya.

Panamanian hospitality

Nadine Pereira, one of the Indian participants, spoke to AsiaNews about the warmth with which they were received at Atalaya.  She said the welcome they received with dance and music on arrival at Atalaya at midnight, made them forget the fatigue of their 20-hour flight and a 4-hour bus ride to their hosts.

Each family in Atalaya hosted two Indians for the 鈥淒ays in the Dioceses鈥�. 

Another Indian, Rinita Juliana Francis, spoke about young pilgrims from other countries at the parish of St John the Evangelist Church.

Dressed in their traditional costumes, 鈥淗undreds of pilgrims waved their national flags and danced to the beat of the drums played by Panamanian soldiers.鈥�  鈥淎s the evening progressed,鈥� she noted, 鈥減ilgrims sang songs of praise and worship and danced to music from the Mauritius, Colombia, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, India鈥� with participants from 鈥渆ach nation putting on a grand show鈥�.

Francis expressed appreciation for the Panamanians saying they are a 鈥渉ospitable, emotional and generous people鈥�.  They are proud of their culture and tradition, especially Spanish music. 鈥淭he way the singers and the people participate in the Holy Eucharist is amazing,鈥�  she added.

In Panama City, the Indian youth are guests at the Church of Santa Eduviges.  (Source: AsiaNews)