The 20th world days of youth (JMJ) 2005 take place with Cologne in Germany of the 16 to the 21 August 2005. It is nearly 400.000 participants from 16 to 30 years coming from 120 countries which are awaited the side of the pope Benoît XVI during this week. They will be accompanied by approximately 600 bishops and cardinals like 4.000 journalists to cover the event.

First JMJ for the new pope Benoît XVI which take place in its country of birth. The appointment was fixed by Jean-Paul II at the time of the {{XVIIe}} JMJ of Toronto in 2002. The topic of the JMJ 2005 is “We came to adore it” (Matthieu 2,2).

Indulgence granted to the participants

August 9th, 2005, a decree of the apostolic Pénitencerie is published: “The plenary Indulgence is granted to the usual conditions with faithful which, the heart detached from all Péché, will take part with attention and devotion in one or more ceremonies during the Twentieth world Days of youth in Cologne and its solemn conclusion”.

Course of the events

• Tuesday, August 16: grand opening of the JMJ. Already 400.000 pilgrims are gathered at the time of the three masses of opening. In margin of the festivities, assassination of Frère Roger, founder of the the Community of Taizé at the time of a mass with Taizé (Saône-et-Loire). The murder put in agitation all the assistance of the JMJ, whose many pilgrims had made stopover at the community of Taizé. The pope Benoit XVI, very moved by the event, read the message sent by Roger brother before his death at the time of a mass in Rome.

• Thursday, August 18: departure of Benoit XVI of Rome to 10:00, arrival with the airport of Cologne towards 12:00. It was accommodated by the German president Horst Köhler and declared on the tarmac airport which “it is with a major joy that I return in my beloved country for the first time since my election on the throne of Saint-Pierre”. After having lunched, it is descended by boat along the the Rhine, in direction of the Cathédrale of Cologne, followed par
  800.000 people gathered on the edges of the river. Halfway, he addressed himself to crowd in five languages, asking the young Christians to have a heart of builders. On a bridge of Cologne, it also paid homage to its “large and beloved predecessor” Jean Paul II.

• Friday, August 19: The morning, visits of Benoit XVI with Bonn to meet German president Horst Köhler. Then, key period of the JMJ 2005, visit of Benoit XVI with the Synagog of Cologne to 12:00 in order to stress fraternity enters the religions. Benoit XVI benefitted from the occasion to point out the similarities between beliefs Christian and judaïque. He is second sovereign pontiff, after the visit of the synagog of Rome by Jean-Paul II in 1986, to go in a synagog to request and remember the victims of the Shoah with the Jewish community of Cologne.

• Saturday, August 20: The morning, Benoît XVI received various personalities, of which Gerhard Schröder, Wolfgang Thierse, Angela Merkel, Jürgen Rüttgers and the former footballer Pelé. In the afternoon, it received the authorities of the Moslem community of Germany. The pope invited the Moslems to fight against the Terrorisme and wished the installation of a co-operation between the religions to fight against the extremists. In evening, Benoît XVI joined the 700.000 pilgrims for one taken care of prayers on the esplanade of Marienfeld, to 27 km of Cologne, in an environment of catholic Woodstock.

• Sunday, August 21: closing mass of the JMJ with the presence of Benoit XVI and 1.000.000 the faithful ones gathered. Benoit XVI in particular confirmed that the world Journées of youth 2008 will take place with Sydney in Australia.

External bonds

• Official site of the {{XXe}} JMJ of 2005
• Film about the JMJ 2005
• Official site of Domus Vitae
• Official site for France
• Young Natives of the Moselle region having taken part in the JMJ 2005
• Official site for the French-speaking Switzerland

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Random links:

Dance of Gengis Cohn | Neffe (Dining) | Perished Spiele | Fragment (graphics) | Avenue de Clichy