Pope Francis announces first World Day of Children

Image Vatican Media

Source: Vatican News

A World Day of Children, in the wake of World Youth Day, will be held in Rome on 25-26 May 2024. Pope Francis made the announcement, "with joy", at the Angelus on the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

The initiative responds to the question, What kind of world do we want to leave to the children who are growing up now? "Like Jesus, we want to put children at the centre and care for them".

The event, which will see thousands of boys and girls from all over the world flock to Rome, is sponsored by the Dicastery for Culture and Education. The Dicastery had already offered its patronage in November, at the "Let's Learn from Boys and Girls" event that saw Pope Francis surrounded by some 7,500 children from around the world in the Paul VI Hall. A great meeting of music and testimony, the event can be seen as a prelude to 2024's World Day of Children.

The idea of a Day entirely dedicated to the youngest among us had been proposed to the Pope in July by a child, nine-year-old Alessandro, on the occasion of the Popecast, the second podcast made by Vatican Media with Pope Francis in view of the WYD in Lisbon.

"I like it very much!" the Pope replied after listening to the voice message. "We can have it organized by the grandparents. A beautiful idea. I will think about it and see how to do it."