The WYD Cross and Marian Icon begin their Korean pilgrimage, inspiring national unity ahead of World Youth Day Seoul 2027.
Newsroom (21/01/2026 Gaudium Press) In the heart of Seoul, the historic Myeongdong Cathedral became the spiritual epicenter of South Korea’s Catholic community on January 20, as Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick led a solemn blessing ceremony launching the national pilgrimage of the World Youth Day (WYD) Cross and the Icon of Our Lady, Salus Populi Romani. The event marked the formal beginning of a two-year journey that will unite all 15 dioceses of the Korean peninsula in anticipation of World Youth Day 2027.
The blessing ceremony drew the faithful, clergy, and youth leaders together in a gesture of both devotion and preparation. With hands raised and hearts joined in prayer, Archbishop Chung blessed not only the WYD symbols but also 15 specially crafted sculptures—each representing one of the country’s dioceses. These sculptures, designed with a focus on environmental sustainability, were made from fully recyclable, paper-based honeycomb boards created by young volunteer Jung-hoon Cho. “The sculpture bearing the name of each diocese will remind everyone preparing for this event of their calling and the graces they have received,” Archbishop Chung told attendees.
A Journey Across the Nation
Following the ceremony, the WYD Cross and Icon began their pilgrimage to the Diocese of Wonju on January 21, the first stop of a nationwide journey that will unfold across all dioceses before returning to Seoul in June 2027. Along the way, the symbols are expected to feature prominently in parish celebrations, diocesan youth gatherings, and faith-based community events, encouraging reflection and renewal across the Catholic population.
The pilgrimage follows the icons’ return to South Korea in December 2025 after a historic international journey that passed through nine countries, including Rome, as part of the Jubilee for Youth. Through each visit, the WYD symbols—treasured worldwide for decades—have served as vehicles of unity and hope for the global Catholic community.
Building Toward a Global Celebration
World Youth Day 2027 promises to be one of the most significant religious gatherings in Korea’s modern history. The event, which will take place in Seoul from August 3 to 8, is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across the world. The last WYD, held in Lisbon in 2023, recorded more than 354,000 participants from nearly 200 countries—a testament to the reach and vitality of the global Catholic youth movement begun by Pope John Paul II in 1985.
In Seoul, preparations have already taken on a national character. The sculptures dedicated to each diocese will serve as tangible symbols of unity, linking local faith communities under one shared mission. The emphasis on ecological responsibility embedded in their creation also aligns with the Church’s commitment to care for creation—an issue increasingly central to Catholic social teaching and the WYD agenda.
Archbishop Chung described the upcoming event as “a festival of youth that will warmly welcome young people from all over the world,” underscoring the inclusivity and hope at the heart of the pilgrimage. His call to action for the faithful—to devote themselves wholeheartedly to the preparations for WYD—resonates deeply within a generation seeking meaning, connection, and faith amid the challenges of the modern world.
Looking Toward 2027
Looking ahead, the faithful in Korea are poised to channel that spirit of pilgrimage into a national movement of service, prayer, and celebration. When Pope Leo XIV arrives in Seoul for the 2027 event, he will encounter a nation spiritually united by years of preparation and pilgrimage. As the WYD Cross and Icon traverse the Korean landscape, they remind the faithful of their shared mission: to build a Church—and a world—rooted in communion, youth, and hope.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Uca News
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