Pope Francis' Video Message to Participants in World Youth Day 2023

Dear young people,

we are getting closer, there are still a few months to go, until the World Youth Day and already 400,000 young people have registered. It calls my attention and fills me with joy that so many young people will go to WYD, because they need to participate. Some will say, "I'm going as a tourist". But any young person who goes to WYD, goes because, deep down, he or she has the thirst to participate, to share, to tell their experience and receive the experience of others. They are thirsty for horizons.

You young people, there are already 400 thousand of you registered, are thirsty for the horizon. At this meeting, during this WYD, learn to always look towards the horizon, to always look beyond. Don't put up a wall in front of your life. Walls close you in, the horizon makes you grow. Always look at the horizon with your eyes, but look, above all, with your heart. Open your heart to other cultures, to other boys, to other girls, who are also at this World Youth Day.

Get ready for this: to open horizons, to open your hearts. And thank you for having already registered so far in advance. Let's hope others will follow your example. May God bless you, may the Virgin take care of you. Pray for me, for I pray for you. And don't forget: 'no' to walls, 'yes' to horizons. Thank you.

20 January 2023