A logo depicting symbols for Mary, Panama and the Panama Canal was selected as the winning design to promote World Youth Day 2019. The design by Amber Calvo, 20, a Panamanian student studying architecture, was chosen from 103 entries submitted for the event that will take place Jan. 22-27, 2019. (CNS photo/courtesy World Youth Day USA)

The Catholic Post would like to know of any groups or individuals from the Diocese of Peoria who plan to attend the 16th World Youth Day in Panama on Jan. 22-27.

Panama will be the first Central American nation to host the massive Catholic gathering, which will include a music festival, dozens of seminars for youth and an expected four-day visit by Pope Francis.

Established in 1986 by St. John Paul II, World Youth Day was envisioned as “a powerful moment in which the young people of the world could meet Christ, who is eternally young, and could learn from him how to be bearers of the Gospel to other young people.”

This year’s gathering follows just three months after a month long Synod of Bishops at the Vatican exploring how the church relates to youth. The last World Youth Day took place in Poland in 2016.

Individuals or groups planning to attend World Youth Day in Panama are invited to email cathpost@cdop.org or call our newsroom at 800-340-5630.