Pope invites young Catholics to Seoul as registration opens for World Youth Day 2027

With less than a year to go until World Youth Day (WYD) in Seoul, South Korea, Pope Leo XIV invited young Catholics worldwide to register and to view the event as a pilgrimage rather than just a trip to a new place.

“This is not merely an invitation to see a new city; it is a call to set out on a pilgrimage of faith, friendship, and hope,” Leo said in a video message.

The Vatican released the pontiff’s message on Thursday, coinciding with the liturgical feast of St. John Paul II, who established WYD in 1985. In his message, Leo referred to his predecessor, who invited the young to “open wide the doors for Christ.”

“Providentially, today we celebrate the liturgical memory of St. John Paul II, who continuously proclaimed to all peoples, 'Do not be afraid, open wide the doors for Christ.’ These words also apply to each one of you," Leo said.

Pope John Paul II arrives at the campus of Tor Vergata University in Rome for World Youth Day with young people from each continent on Aug. 19, 2000. | Credit: Vatican Media

The pope, who is expected to attend, also reminded young Catholics what to look forward to as they register for WYD 2027: unity in diversity.

“In Seoul,…