My dear young friends,

Today, as registration opens for next year’s World Youth Day, I warmly invite each of you to Seoul. This is not merely an invitation to see a new city. It is a call to set out on a pilgrimage of faith, friendship and hope.

A pilgrimage gives you the chance not only to discover Christian sites in another location, but also to find the time and space to encounter God more deeply, both personally and within the dynamic life of the Church. In Seoul, you will meet young people from all across the world, representing a beautiful and rich variety of languages and cultures. Yet, despite these differences, and indeed because of your God-given diversity, you will experience an even greater sense of unity, for we are all members of the one Body of Christ.

This occasion, therefore, will be a special opportunity both to deepen your faith and to encounter your brothers and sisters in Christ, and I hope you will make joyful memories and form friendships that will last a lifetime.

Finally, the theme for World Youth Day is “Take courage! I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). Providentially, today we celebrate the liturgical memory of Saint John Paul II who continuously proclaimed to all peoples: “Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ.” These words also apply to each one of you, so on this pilgrimage, bring all that you are and all that you carry in your hearts, including your dreams, desires, and hopes, as well as your wounds and struggles.

The Lord is waiting for you in this place of encounter and communion. He calls each of you by name and he desires to reawaken your hope and to give you the fullness of life and joy.

I look forward to seeing you in Seoul! In the meantime, may God bless you and your loved ones.

And may the blessing of the Almighty God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit come upon you and remain with you always. Amen