Fed: World Youth Day by numbers

AAP General News (Australia)
04-09-2008
Fed: World Youth Day by numbers

Major events during Sydney's World Youth Day week:

Tuesday, July 15: Opening Mass celebrated by Cardinal George Pell, Darling Harbour,
estimated attendance 150,000;

Wednesday-Friday, July 16-18: Morning catechesis sessions, throughout suburban Sydney,
attendance 225,000;

Thursday, July 17: Pope's arrival on Sydney Harbour, 150,000 on site plus tens of thousands
more lining harbour and on spectator craft;

Friday, July 18: Stations of the cross re-enactment, CBD locations, 300,000;

Saturday, July 19: Bridge walk (180,000), followed by evening vigil and sleepout, CBD
and Randwick racecourse, 225,000;

Sunday, July 20: Papal Mass, Randwick racecourse, 500,000.



Number of Catholics in Australia: 5.12 million (26 per cent of population).

Registered pilgrims: 225,000 (125,000 expected from 177 foreign countries, plus 60,000
from interstate and 40,000 from Sydney).

Accommodation: 100,000 in school and church halls, 40,000 billeted, 25,000 in hotels,
the rest with family and friends.

Volunteers: 8,000.

Clergy: 2,000.

Media: 3,000.

Food and drink for pilgrims: 3.5 million meals, 2 million bread rolls, 2.7 million
cakes, 1.3 million pieces of fuit, 2.5 million cans of mineral water.

Estimated economic benefit: $200 million.

Worldwide TV audience for major events: one billion.

AAP dc/srp/sp

KEYWORD: YOUTH (FACTBOX)

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