Short video: WYD '13 by the numbers

A short, day-by-day video showing footage of the crowds and the daily estimated total people present, including 7,800 priests.  Worth the watch.

Cleared for takeoff

Off he goes to his first World Youth Day.

1 pilgrim dead, 3 more critically injured in crash heading to WYD '13

(FFHL.blogspot.com)(News.va) With over 2 million pilgrims expected to participate in World Youth Day, it's one of those days when you wish the statistical likelihood of it happening would have been wrong, but it wasn't.  This morning, Pope Francis and the world learned of a tragic accident of pilgrims making their way through France to start the next leg of their trip to Brazil for WYD '13 in Rio.

The Vatican reports that Pope Francis was notified of the accident that happened today, Thursday, July 18th and that the Pope "assured all those involved in the accident of his prayers, and expressed his deepest sympathy for the victims, as well as for the rescue workers and all those around them." The Vatican also said that "Pope Francis sent a special Apostolic Blessing to all those affected by the tragedy."

This was sad news amidst the joyful cries of so many young pilgrims arriving in Rio amidst great celebration.  Apparently the "bus carrying young people to World Youth Day was hit head-on by a truck, leaving one young Parisian girl dead, and three other young people in critical condition."  The cause of the accident is still unknown. According to one French source (Expatica.com), out of the 23 pilgrims on the bus, there were initially five listed in critical condition.  (Click to read more...)

According to Expatica, the bishop of French Guiana announced that a special Mass would be held in the Saint-Sauveur Cathedral in the capital Cayenne next Wednesday evening.

Tekton Ministries expresses its deepest sympathies to the families of injured and killed and assures them of our prayers and sacrifices.

WYD '13 by the numbers -so far

Here are some official numbers for World Youth Day '13 in Rio reported by CNS.

• 2.5 million people expected
• 320,000 people have officially registered
• Countries with the greatest numbers of pilgrims registered are Brazil, Argentina and the United States
• 8,400 priests from all over the globe requested credentials
• 5,500 journalists have been given credentials
• 55 percent of registered pilgrims are women
• 60 percent of those coming are ages 19-34. 
• 300,000 beds were made available

WYD '13 Rio healthcare will NOT be an issue, says the courts in Brazil

Some pilgrims or parents of pilgrims may be worried about certain tensions in Brazil. Linked is an article that clearly explains why some were worried about healthcare in Brazil during World Youth Day and why those worries should no longer continue. Read the full article about how the courts have said that the city of Rio must provide healthcare to any pilgrims in need, regardless of needing to use public funding to do so.

Here is a teaser for those who want to know the bottom line.  

The Judge stated that “the division between State and Church does not absolve the city of Rio from providing certain services to the event’s participants, despite the religious nature of the event.” “To deny health care assistance to pilgrims could cause uncertainty and discredit the country, not to mention the fact that it would put the health of thousands of people who will attend the event in Rio de Janeiro thinking they are guaranteed basic health care services, at risk," he said.

Click here to read the full story from Vatican Insider, written by ANDRES BELTRAMO ALVAREZ on July 12, 2013.