World Youth Day will take place August 1-6, 2023 in Lisbon. The motto chosen from Luke 1:39, “Mary arose and went with haste,” is one that will speak to the hearts of the thousands of young people expected to join Pope Francis in prayer during this international faith gathering. Catholics are asked to begin interceding for the events of World Youth Day to make a profound impact on all who attend. It was recently announced that thirteen saints will be officially recognized as the patron saints of World Youth Day. Take a moment to reflect on some of their words of wisdom as you spend time in prayer today!

“The patroness par excellence of the next World Youth Day is the Virgin Mary, the young woman who accepted to be the mother of the incarnate Son of God.”

– Cardinal Clemente 

13 Patron Saints Of World Youth Day Lisbon 2023

St. John Paul II, Pray for us!

“It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your hearts your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle.”

—St. John Paul II

St. John Bosco, Pray for us!

“Patience smooths away lots of difficulties.”

— St. John Bosco

St. Vincent of Saragossa, Pray for us!

“Do you wish to be at peace amidst suffering and temptation? Then make it your principal endeavor to grow in habits of prayer and in union with Christ. Have confidence in Him. He will make you victorious over your spiritual enemies and over yourself. He will enlighten your darkness and sweeten your sufferings, and in your solitude and desolation He will draw nigh to you with His holy angels.”

— St. Vincent of Saragossa

St. Anthony, Pray for us!

“Christians must lean on the Cross of Christ just as travelers lean on a staff when they begin a long journey.”

— St. Anthony

 St. Bartholomew of the Martyrs, Pray for us!

“In this way our light will shine before men, because charity alone shines in our actions, without any form of vanity being mixed up with it. He who acts thus does not wish to be seen by men, but he wishes that God should be glorified as the sole author of all the good which is in man. So that he who admires the good done by another may imitate it, and by praise become himself praiseworthy.”

—St. Bartholomew of the Martyrs

St. John de Brito, Pray for us!

“Not to answer the vocation as I ought, would be to provoke the justice of God.

— St. John de Brito

Blessed Joana of Portugal, Pray for us!

O God, in the midst of the royal court you strengthened Blessed Joana with purity of heart. By her prayers may your faithful turn from the things of earth and seek after the things of heaven. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

 — General Calendar of the Order of Preachers

Blessed João Fernandes, Pray for us!

Blessed João Fernandes, inspire us to live the faith with courage!

Blessed Maria Clara of the Child Jesus, Pray for us!

“Reflect well on these three words: God, Soul, Eternity.”

— Blessed Maria Clara of the Child Jesus

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, Pray for us!

“In a world gone astray from God there is no peace, but it also lacks charity, which is true and perfect love… Nothing is more beautiful than love. Indeed, faith and hope will end when we die, whereas love, that is, charity, will last for eternity.”

— Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

Blessed Marcel Callo, Pray for us!

“One must master his heart before he can give it to the one that is chosen for him by Christ.”

—Blessed Marcel Callo

Blessed Chiara Badano, Pray for us!

“I care only about doing the will of God, doing it well, in the present moment.”

— Blessed Chiara Badano

Blessed Carlo Acutis, Pray for us!

“Continuously ask your guardian angel for help. Your guardian angel has to become your best friend.”

— Blessed Carlo Acutis

The first World Youth Day in history was in 1984 in Rome, with an attendance of 300,000 young people. The second took place in Buenos Aires in 1987.  Over a million young people attended. The next World Youth Day was in Santiago of Compostela in 1989. Then it was on to Czestochowa in 1991: 1,600,000 attended youth. 

Official Theme Song | WYD Lisbon 2023 

Official Prayer World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 

Our Lady of the Visitation,  you who arose and went with haste towards the mountain to meet Elizabeth,  

lead us also to meet all those who await us to deliver them the living Gospel:  Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord! 

We will go in a hurry, with no distraction or delay, but with readiness and joy.  We will go peacefully, because those who take Christ take peace,  and welldoing is the best wellbeing.  

Our Lady of the Visitation, with your inspiration, this World Youth Day will be the mutual celebration of the Christ we take, as You once did.  

Make it a time of testimony and sharing,  fraternization, and giving thanks, each of us looking for the others who always wait.  

With you, we will continue on this path of gathering,  so that our world will gather as well, in fraternity, justice, and peace.  

Help us, Our Lady of the Visitation, to bring Christ to everyone, obeying the Father, in the love of the Spirit! 

Image: https://www.cathopic.com/photo/1347-juventud-venezolana