Thousands of young people spent the night praying before the Blessed Sacrament

One of the  17 marquees set up for prayer

Cuatro Vientos, August 21, 2011 - When the Prayer Vigil ended at Cuatro Vientos, the great numbers of young people from all over the world that had come together at the airbase were not ready to get in their sleeping bags and let the night pass as though nothing had happened. So, from eleven o’clock until well into the early hours of the morning, many pilgrims continued to celebrate World Youth Day.

But there wasn’t just happiness and singing, there was also time for prayer, silence and reflection during the long and intense vigil night. Seventeen marquees with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament had been installed for this purpose and ready for the pilgrims to visit. 

One of the marquees destroyed by the wind

The unexpected summer storm, which interrupted the Vigil, knocked down marquees 2, 3 and 12. “Fortunately nobody was inside when it happened”, explained Don Ignacio. “It was astonishing. Just when one of the marquees began to blow away, some volunteers hung onto the framework to weigh it down, and this prevented it from being completely destroyed”, this priest recalled.

People praying and confessing

This unforeseen drawback did not prevent the young people from joining together in prayer all through the night in the other marquees. In each and every one of them there were several priests ready to hear confession or, just simply to chat, with any pilgrims that so desired.

This is the case of Father Rogelio, a Mexican priest who lives in Rome. He was there from eleven o’clock to the end, ready to listen to any of the young people who came up to him and to share the mysteries of the Faith with them. “These days I’ve also been hearing confessions in the Retiro Park and, truth to tell, many people came… it’s just what they need. People need to find peace.” This priest also thinks that young people today need someone to tell them about the Faith, to explain the deep sense that it holds so that they will come closer to the Church.  “Young people need to understand the reasons to keep believing, to be Catholic, and therefore happy”. 

Javier and Ana at Cuatro Vientos

The opportunity to pray before the Blessed Sacrament was an initiative the many pilgrims liked.  For example, Javier and Ana describe  how happy they feel  to live “the experience of a united Church, as we all share the one Faith and  one heart”.

And so, with some people praying and others asleep exhausted in their sleeping bags, the night passed calmly and silently waiting for the farewell Mass with the Pope which begins early on Sunday morning.