Christ the King Annual Celebration of Young People

The Annual Celebration of Young People, which takes place every year on the Feast of Christ the King, is an annual celebration of youth and young adults that is undertaken on the local levels of the Church, such as schools, parishes, and chaplaincies. These celebrations both strengthen communities, and, through the use of shared scriptural themes, help prepare the Church for its major international gatherings, the next of which will be the Jubilee of Young People.

The Holy Father has given a two-year guide to mark the journey to this gathering. Under the theme of hope, a virtue that the world is in need of and that shines forth particularly in young people, scriptural quotes for the feast of Christ the King in 2023 and 2024 have been selected. The themes should be seen as one unit that emerged from Pope Francis' Christus Vivit and his call to infuse the Church's ministries with young people with a vocational perspective that compels us to put our faith into action.

• 38th World Youth Day, 2023-2024: “Rejoicing in hope” (cf. Rom 12:12).
• 39th World Youth Day, 2024-2025: “Those who hope in the Lord will run and not be weary” (cf. Is 40:31).

To learn more about the Annual Celebration of Young People and for guides and other resources to assist in planning and organizing events for and themed around young people, please look to our Christ the King Annual page here.

Jubilee Year in Rome - The Jubilee of Young People

The Holy Father Pope Francis has declared 2025 to be a jubilee year, a time of rejoicing in which different aspects of the Church's life and different people within the Church are celebrated. Included in this is a celebration of youth and young adults, their role in the Church, and what the Church can learn from them.

The Jubilee of Young People will take place on July 28, 2025, forming an intermediary celebration between WYD Lisbon in 2023, and WYD Seoul in 2027. Building upon the two-year cycle of Scriptural themes for the Global Celebration of Youth, the theme for the coming jubilee is "Pilgrims of Hope", focusing on the distinct hope of young people and the unique effect their hope can have on the lives of others.

This jubilee celebration will be the culmination of the scriptural themes and discernment that are a part of the celebration of the Annual Celebration of Young People. Please stay tuned for more information of the Jubilee of Young People as it approaches.

World Youth Day Seoul

World Youth Day Seoul is the next upcoming international gathering of World Youth Day. Taking place in 2027, it will be the first WYD to take place on mainland East Asia. 

If you would like information regarding the prior World Youth Day Lisbon, please go to the International Celebration page and its News and Updates page. Being made at the time of WYD Lisbon, they have information detailing some of the activities in Portugal, primarily highlighting some important events and the activities of the Holy Father, though they do not form a comprehensive list.