World Youth Day festival opens in Sydney

AUSTRALIA: Tens of thousands of Catholic pilgrims from around the world crammed onto the waterfront of Sydney’s famous harbor Tuesday, waving flags of their home countries and singing as they awaited a Mass opening the World Youth Day festival.

Pope Benedict XVI arrived Sunday, and was resting at a secluded retreat on the outskirts of Sydney until Thursday, when he starts a busy round of meetings, takes a cruise on Sydney Harbor and addresses the pilgrims. The festival culminates with a papal Mass on Sunday.

Aboriginal Australians in traditional clothing and white body paint danced and chanted to the unique strains of a didgeridoo in a welcoming ceremony at Barangaroo, along the harbor.

“Some say there is no place for faith in the 21st century. I say they are wrong,” Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said to cheers from the pilgrims, most dressed in World Youth Day’s bright yellow and red colors.

“You are welcome guests in our land. May each of you be enriched by your time here among us in Australia, just as you enrich Australia by your time here with us,” he said.

Sydney, Tuesday, AP