VATICAN CITY, AUGUST 16 (ZENIT.org).- This week, another record will probably be set during the 15^th World Youth Day in Rome as more than one million pilgrims will have the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. To ask and receive God's forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the most intense moments of any true pilgrimage and the Vatican Jubilee Committee made an unprecedented effort so that World Youth Day would not just be a pleasant trip to Rome but, above all, a personal encounter with Christ's love.

To accommodate the crowds, 350 light-colored wooden confessionals have been placed in a semicircle the Circus Maximus. As of today, and until this Friday, 2,000 priests are taking turns, from the early morning until Midnight, to impart the Sacrament. Penitents prepare beforehand by spending time in prayer. The examination of conscience is coupled with readings from Scripture, spiritual writings, and a series of symbolic gestures. Moreover, all the Roman Jubilee Basilicas have mobilized to offer youth the possibility of Confession, in so far as possible, in their respective languages.

Back