The prayer vigil which the Holy Father will preside tonight, 19^th of August, at 8, 30 p.m. (after his arrival at 7, 40 p.m.) at Tor Vergata, the site of the conclusive celebration of the XV World Youth Day, will consist of the following salient moments: the memory of the Apostles and of the Christian Martyrs, the testimonies of the four youngsters, the presentation of the Gospel of St. Mark to the five Continents and the communal confession of faith.

After the arrival of Pope John Paul II at the stage and the introductive greetings, two young persons will bring forward to the Pope, the image of Maria Salus Populi Romani to kiss. Then will follow the memorial of the Apostles (evoked from the projection of an afresh from a great artist Pietro Cavallini), of the Roman martyrs Clement, Lawrence, Sebastian, Agnes and Cecilia and some contemporary martyrs, symbolised by small candles and great furnaces. St. Paul Miki and his companions, St. Lawrence Ruiz and his companions, Saints John the Breubef, Isacco Jogues and his companions, St. Peter Chanel, St. Andrew Kim Taegon, and St. Paul Chong Hasang, St. Andrew Dung-lac and his companions, St. Charles Lwanga and his companions, San Cristobal Magallanes and his companions, san Cirillo Bertrando and his companions, St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe and St. Teresa Bernadette of the cross (Edith Stein), will also be remembered. The witness by the four youngsters: Domingos, from Angola martyred for forgiveness during the war, Maria Aurora from Rumania on religious freedom; Stephanie from Rome on the request of suspension of capital execution, Maximilian from Rome on the difficult of living the faith in the contemporary society. 

 After the Holy Father’s speech, five young persons from different continents will receive the Gospel of St Mark in five Inter-confessional version and languages. The vigil prayer will be concluded with a communal confession of faith. The Hope Music Choir and the Roman Diocesan Choir directed by Mons. Marco Frisina, the Millennium Choir, The Rumanian Patriarchal Choir, the Gospel Music, the Senegal Group, the Soloist Maire Brennan, the London Community Gospel Choir directed by Leonardo De Amicis, the Singer Cece Winans, the Aeros Dance Group, the Adolescentes Orchestra and a Choir from the Philippines will animate the Musical Part of the vigil.

The Eucharistic celebration by the Holy Father, tomorrow, Sunday 20^th August will start at 8.30 am (arrival by 7.50) and will be introduced by the Card. Camillo Ruini the Vicar general of the diocese of Rome and by a youngster. Furthermore, before the liturgy of the word, four stones from four different cities of Italy (Churchill Hudson Bay, Punta arena, Taraua and Samoa Appia) will be collocated around the cross. The Responsorial psalm will be animated by six Choreographical Dancers of Luciano Cannito. The Credo will be intoned by Card. James Francis Stafford, the president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, who at the end of the mass will greet the Holy Father as he reads out the final message of the International Forum of the Youth. After the Angelus the Holy Father will give a missionary mandate to the youth present and announce to them the Venue for the next World Youth Day.

Rome, 19^th of August,2000   

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