World youth gathered at the Coastal Strip for the opening of the WYD 2019

Santa Maria Park, as the Coastal Strip has been renamed, became this Tuesday afternoon the gathering place for thousands of young people from all over the world who participated in the World Youth Day (WYD) 2019 opening ceremony.

Since before midday, thousands of young people with flags from their respective countries were walking through the streets of Panama City, playing tambourines, singing religious songs and making themselves feel a part of the "youth of the Pope" who has come to Panamanian territory to participate in the activities of this international religious meeting.

"Here is the youth of the Pope", they shouted without stopping and behold the servant of the Lord, made out of me, according to your word," the chorus of the WYD hymn, it was heard unceasingly throughout the streets of the Panamanian capital.

From all the points in the city and using all different forms of transport, the young people who have as a final destination the Coastal Strip arrived to listen to the religious ceremony officiated by the Archbishop of Panama, José Domingo Ulloa, a day before the arrival of Pope Francis in Panama.

At the place where the flags of the 150 participating countries of WYD, in what resembles a World Cup, because of the joyful slogans and flags of the participants, but above all the attending pilgrims demonstrations of faith.

More than 2,500 journalist were officially registered up to yesterday.

The Panama WYD began on Tuesday, January 22 and will continue until Sunday 27, the date on which Pope Francis will officiate the last mass of the youth religious meeting.

Translation Mariajulia Pujol