Pope Benedict XVI sent a personal text message (or sms) to pilgrims this morning;

"Young Friend, God & his people expect much from u, because u have within u the Father's supreme gift: the Spirit of Jesus - BXVI"

This Saturday, July 12, from 9am - 4.30pm, Brisbane will experience one of its biggest 'Days in the Diocese' events with over 10,000 pilgrims expected, as well as thousands of the general public.

Traffic in Brisbane's CBD will be stopped while up to 5,000 pilgrims make their way through the streets of Brisbane from city churches to the Roma Street Parklands.

The "Heart of the City" event is open to all and features entertainment, food and fun from 9am to 4.30pm.

Photos taken by eBenedict during WYD will appear on our Flickr photostream.

They can be found here

www.flickr.com/photos/ebenedict

For even more photos, these and WYD photos from other contributors can be found in the WYD2008 Flickr group;

www.flickr.com/groups/wyd2008

eBenedict is told that there is royalty attending the WYD08 celebrations in Australian... for their privacy we won't be saying any more, as we understand that they want to attend as any other WYD participant. 

Over 2,000 Pilgrims are arriving in Brisbane today with organised chaos being the scene at the International Airport this morning. Origins of today's arrivals included; Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Togo, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy (including Padua and Florence), Canada, Poland, USA, and Latvia.

A group of Polish pilgrims added to the buzzing, excited atmosphere by producing a guitar and singing a number of Polish tunes.

A media contingent was also on hand with both radio and television crew recording the arrivals.

The flow of pilgrims was slightly halted when Australian Test Cricketer, Andrew Simons, also arrived at the airport. A number of Indian Canadian pilgrims were keen to have their photo taken with him, slowing the progress to the buses and on to their final destination. 

More Photos on our  Flicker site here;

www.flickr.com/photos/ebenedict

A major Australian TV channel will be recording and reporting on Theology on Tap (that we covered recently here), one of the WYD08 Festival of Faith events. Footage will be screened on Sunday night's 60 Minutes program. Presenting TOT during WYD will be the Archbishop of Denver, Colorado, the Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput on the topic "Mission: Possible! This double life will self-destruct." 7-10pm Wednesday 16th July, at PJ Gallagher's Irish Pub, 74 Church Street, Parramatta (corner of Church & Parkes streets), Sydney.

 

 More details on the Theology on Tap Website