WYD Krakow - Days in the Diocese

Pilgrims from Our Lady's Churchdown - with Clifton/Plymouth WYD

The title 'World Youth Day' is a bit of a misnomer, as young people from around the world have been gathering at different events across Poland's 43 dioceses for the past week or more - staying in parish halls and schools or staying as guests with families and taking part in many different programmes.

In Warsaw pilgrims visited locations connected with St Andrew Bobola, and the shrine of Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko. They also learnt about the history of Poland's capital visiting the Museum of the 1944 Uprising and the Royal Castle. More than 15,000 gathered at the papal altar in Nowy Sacz. The diocese of Koszalin and Kolobrzeg held evangelical projects on the beach.

In the diocese of Swidnica pilgrims followed the Marian Trail with stops in Wambierzyce and Bardo and Mount Igliczna and Wielka Sowia. In the Archdiocese of Warmia, guests walked from Olsztyn to the Shrine of Our Lady of Gietrzwald.

The world's only Neo-Uniate parish in Kostomloy, Siedlece diocese, hosted young Catholics praying for Christian unity.

Thousands have visited and prayed at the former Auschwitz/Birkenau camp. Probably the largest number of groups have been visiting the National Shrine of Jasna Gora - Our Lady of Chestochowa.

Tomorrow - all these groups will be coming together in Krakow for the official launch of World Youth Day in Krakow at the Blonia meadows. There will be music and processions in the afternoon before Mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz.

Katy from Plymouth diocese said: "We've had a wonderful programme so far. It is so encouraging to meet so many other young Catholics. And I can't believe the 'Day' hasn't actually started yet." (More reports to follow)