Different from the 3 hour flight to Madrid, Spain, Pope Benedict XVI knows that he is going to have to travel one whole day or one who night to step onto Brazilian soil in 2013. Even though he choose Brazil as the place of the next World Youth Day. At 84 years old with a disposition and vitality of few of his age, the Pontiff acted on his option for a distant land of green and yellow, the evangelical passage which the pastor strives to go to meet his flock, in this case his newest sheep.

Rio de Janeiro is celebrating from the official announcment of the Holy Father, in the Spanish capital, that it will be the next city to Host WYD. Sunday 21st of August, the Marvelous City initiated the countdown to open her doors to the youth of five continents. Great scenery, spectacular artists, musicians, educational encounters and many diverse areas, Rio de Janeiro is prepared to host an event of this magnitude, it is articulated, dynamic and is going to count also on the support of the dioceses of the whole country.

But to look closer you are going to see that the choice for the Brazilian city is not just good infrastructure and logistical preparations to receive the greatest youth even of the Catholic Church. The Pope’s choice for the land of Christ Redeemer is, before all, a prophetic sign for the capital that has faced adversities due to violence in the streets, a massacre in the school, drug traffic, among others.

Receiving WYD in Rio will not be only a recognition or a tourist destination, but a way of showing that it is possible and it is necessary to cultivate a view of hope, Christian hope, that always should animate hearts.

The hundreds of flags of nations will color the streets of Brazil, before even the anticipated World Cup of 2014. One year before, the megaevent of Christian youth will take in account the Marvelous City and discover that the Brazilian nation is not just soccer, samba and carnaval, it is faith, joviality and charisma. The joy of the Brazilians already was felt in Madrid, where more than 2 million youth of all the nations crowded together to hear Benedict XVI.

The end of World Youth Day this year, consisted of a major Brazilian pilgrimage organized until then to participate in the event with 15 thousand youth signed up, Canção Nova thanked those that followed the coverage made through its System of Communication: Radio, Television and Internet. While the institution, whose only objective is to evangelize, celebrates the next WYD in Brazil it expresses also its thanks for the confidence in its journalistic work.

But Canção Nova makes the question of showing that which really is “good news”: a multitude of youth came together to hear the voice of the pastor, the Successor to Peter. This is news, always there will be voices against this type of gathering. There will be repercussions, yes, but not total coverage of them.

The great news, is in the fact that  2 million youth pilgrims reunited, that fought months or years to put together the funds to participate in this event, in volunteer that will give their time to help in the organizations of this encounter. These forces, yes, merit distinction. It is for this that Canção Nova exists and is going to continue untiringly in its mission of always being at the service of life and of hope, forming new men and women for a new world.

Congratulations, Brazil! Congratulations, Rio de Janeiro! That the youth of the world may come, that Pope Benedict XVI may come, Brazil welcomes you with open arms!

Thaysi Santos

translated from Portuguese