When hundreds of thousands of young people gather in Seoul, South Korea for World Youth Day in 2027, on prominent display will be two symbols that are currently on pilgrimage in the Philippines.
The WYD Cross and the pilgrim icon of Our Lady Salus Populi Romani arrived in Manila from Japan on May 23 and were welcomed with a Mass the following day at Quiapo Church.
The liturgy was presided over by Fr. Ramon Jade Licuanan, the church’s rector and executive secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY).
The four-week pilgrimage includes stops across dioceses in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
From Manila, the WYD Cross and icon were brought to the Northern Luzon Region, where they will tour various dioceses until May 30. Below is the full itinerary:
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- May 30 – June 3: Central Luzon Region
- June 3 – June 7: Mindanao Sulu Pastoral Council
- June 7 – June 10: Central-Eastern Visayas Region (Dumaguete, Tagbilaran, Cebu)
- June 10 – June 14: Bicol Region (National Youth Day 2025 celebration)
- June 14 – June 18: Southern Tagalog Region (Lucena, Lipa, Calapan, San Pablo)
- June 18 – June 19: National Capital Region (Imus Diocese)
- June 19 – June 20: Military Ordinariate of the Philippines (St. Therese Parish)
- June 20 – June 22: National Capital Region
According to the ECY, the WYD symbols are expected to be in Naga City for the opening Mass of the National Youth Day on June 11.
Licuanan said the symbols will depart Manila on June 22 for their next stop in Taiwan.
The WYD Cross has travelled around the globe since 1984, when St. John Paul II entrusted it to young people. It has been part of every WYD celebration since the first event in Rome in 1986.
In 2003, St. John Paul II also presented the world’s youth with a Marian icon under the title of Salus Populi Romani, which has accompanied the cross ever since.
The last time the symbols were brought to the Philippines for a pilgrimage was in 2007, in preparation for WYD 2008 in Sydney, Australia.
