The event has 13 patrons, Saints and Blesseds, who are presented as references to the community participating in the international youth meeting.

Photo: Disclosure/Facebook World Youth Day.

Newsroom(04/08/2023 17:35, Gaudium Press) World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 began on August 1, with an opening Mass presided by the Patriarch of Lisbon, Cardinal Manuel Clemente. The ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic, Cardinals, Bishops, priests and thousands of young people from different countries.

The event has 13 patrons, Saints and Blesseds, who are presented as references to the community participating in the international youth meeting. According to the Patriarch of Lisbon, for this edition of the event, characters were chosen who were born in the city that hosts WYD or who, born in other geographies, are models for youth and who “have shown that the life of Christ fills and saves the youth of all times”.

Patron saints of WYD Lisbon 2023

Our Lady is the patroness par excellence of WYD, as is St. John Paul II, founder of this initiative that brings together millions of young people from five continents. Along with them are other Saints who have dedicated themselves to the service of youth, such as St. John Bosco, “patron saint of youth”, and St. Vincent, deacon and martyr of the fourth century.

Among the Saints born in Lisbon are: St. Anthony, a Franciscan religious born around 1190; St. Bartholomew of the Martyrs, a Dominican and Archbishop of Braga; and St. John of Brito, a Jesuit who left for India to proclaim the Gospel.
Among the Blessed are: Joana of Portugal, daughter of King Afonso V; João Fernandes, a young Jesuit martyred while on his way to the mission in Brazil; Maria Clara do Menino Jesus; Marcel Callo; Chiara Badano; and Carlo Acutis. (EPC)

Compiled by Teresa Joseph