MADRID, Spain, MAY 7, 2009 (Zenit.org).- More than 7,000 European youth of the Catholic lay Neocatechumenal Way are planning to accompany Benedict XVI on his trip this week to the Holy Land.
The young people will make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land during the eight days of the Pope's visit, which begins Friday, and will participate in the various events planned for these days in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth.
Álvaro de Juana, a spokesperson for the group, reported today that 2,200 of these youth are Spaniards.
They will meet with the founders and leaders of the Neocatechumenate, Kiko Argüello, Carmen Hernández and Father Mario Pezzi, in a retreat house run by the group on the Mount of the Beatitudes.
The youth will visit parishes in Upper Galilee in order to hold meetings with Orthodox, Byzantine and Maronite young people of the region.
