BY Martin Dunlop | August 24 | 
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Go and make disciples of all nations
At his weekly general audience, Pope Benedict XVI announces the themes for next two World Youth Day celebrations
Fresh from his visit to Madrid to participate in the World Youth Day 2011 celebrations, Pope Benedict XVI today announced the themes of the next two WYD events.
The theme of next year’s WYD, which will be celebrated locally by churches, is: Always be joyful in the Lord, taken from the Letter of St Paul the Apostle to the Philippians, while WYD 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will take as its motto the Lord’s command at the end of the Gospel according to St Matthew: Go and make disciples of all nations.
The Holy Father announced the themes at his weekly general audience this morning, which was held at Castel Gandolfo, his summer retreat base.
Prior to announcing the themes, the Pope reflected on his four-day visit to Madrid, which included Saturday evening’s prayer vigil and Sunday morning’s WYD closing Mass at the city’s Cuatro Vientos airfield.
“The gathering at Madrid was a stupendous manifestation of Faith for Spain and for the whole world,” the Holy Father said. During his message, Pope Benedict also greeted pilgrims in many languages, including English, and noted that, among those gathered, were many young people who had joined him in Madrid.
“I warmly greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors here today,” the Pope said. “Having just returned from Madrid, I greet affectionately the young people present, especially those who were with me for the unforgettable celebration of World Youth Day. I also welcome those present from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and the United States. May God bless all of you and remain with you for ever!”
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The first disciples after death of Christ never went to Africa, why ? It was after thousands of years
due to colonialism did Africa heard about Christ. what a shame ! It makes me conclude that christianity is for Europeans
Wrong,Mr. Williamson. There were churches in Africa from the first century. The first Latin patristic text was the “Acts of the African Martyrs”(c.177 AD) Simon of Cyrene was from Libya,as was Cyrian of Carthage. The Coptic Church extended all the way to Ethiopia. In all these areas,there was a great deal of theological and spiritual development. Most noteworthy,Augustine a man of mixed race. His mother,Monica,is generally believed to have been a Berber, and Augustine was fluent in Punic, which made him useful to his bishop.