His Majesty’s Hon Consul-General of the Kingdom of Tonga, Mr Anthony Bailey, formally welcomed to Portugal 104 pilgrims.
Our pilgrims travelled over four days and 25,000 km from Tonga, Niue and the Cook Islands to attend World Youth Day (WYD).
This is the largest youth event in the world and is now taking place in Portugal between 1-6 August 2023.
The Tongan nationals will join with over 1.5 million pilgrims from 200 other countries and territories.
They will join too the millions of Portuguese people who are hosting in the most open and warm way, their fellow pilgrims in this globe week-long celebration of their Christian identity and faith.
World Youth Day was first established by the late Saint John Paul II and takes place every 2 to 3 years. It was last held in Panama.
Today his successor, His Holiness Pope Francis, arrived in Lisbon to be received by the highest authorities of the Portuguese state. Together they will preside over this unique gathering which will draw in Lisbon, the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima and Cascais.
Christianity is at the heart of the identity of the South Pacific islands and in particular, the Kingdom of Tonga.
In 2015, the Bishop of Tonga, Soane Patita Paini Mafi, was elevated to the College of Cardinals, becoming its youngest member at 53 and the Kingdom’s first cardinal.
