SPOTLIGHT 26/01/20 Korean pilgrimage of World Youth Day icons begins

[성기화 요셉]

The WYD Cross and Icon of Our Lady, Salus Populi Romani, will travel through the 15 South Korean dioceses

Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul (right) is seen during the blessing ceremony of the World Youth Day (WYD) Cross, the Icon of Our Lady, Salus Populi Romani, and the 15 sculptures for the South Korean Dioceses at the Myeongdong Cathedral on Jan. 20. (Photo: Archdiocese of Seoul)

By UCA News reporter

Published: January 21, 2026 11:35 AM GMT

Updated: January 21, 2026 12:16 PM GMT

Catholics in the South Korean capital of Seoul joined a ceremony to bless icons for the upcoming World Youth Day (WYD) 2027, which kicked off a national pilgrimage of the symbols across all dioceses in the country.

Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul led the blessing ceremony for symbols and 15 sculptures at the Myeongdong Cathedral in the national capital on Jan. 20, according to a press release from Seoul Archdiocese.

During the closing ceremony of the last WYD in Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, in 2023, Pope Francis named Seoul as the host of the global Catholic youth event, to be held from Aug. 3-8, 2027.

The blessing ceremony on Jan. 20 marked the formal beginning of the national pilgrimage of the WYD Cross and Icon of Our Lady, Salus Populi Romani.

The symbols were expected to reach the Diocese of Wonju on Jan. 21 to kick off the pilgrimage. The symbols will return to Seoul in June 2027 after traveling all 15 dioceses in Korea, the release said.

The two WYD icons returned to South Korea in December last year after an international pilgrimage spanning nine countries, including Rome, for the Jubilee for Youth.

Archbishop Chung urged the faithful to devote themselves wholeheartedly to the preparations for WYD.

“The sculpture bearing the name of each diocese will remind everyone preparing for this event of their calling and the graces they have received,” Chung emphasized.

Chung also pointed out that the WYD event is “a festival of youth that will warmly welcome young people from all over the world.”

The WYD symbols travelling across the dioceses are also expected to be showcased in a variety of diocesan and parish events during the pilgrimage.

The 15 sculptures for the dioceses have been produced with consideration for the WYD’s commitment to care for creation and ecological responsibility, the archdiocese said.

The sculptures are made using a fully recyclable paper-based honeycomb board created by youth volunteer Jung-hoon Cho.

Each sculpture will be sent to the dioceses as a sign of communion and unity within the Church in Korea.

The WYD is a triennial global Catholic event initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985.

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to attend the 2027 event, where hundreds of thousands of young people from across the globe are expected to celebrate faith through song, dance, and prayer.

A total of 354,000 Catholic youth from up to 200 countries registered for the latest World Youth Day 2023 in the Portuguese capital Lisbon from Aug. 1-6, reports say.