Duc in Altum

Amy Welborn at Open Book has compiled a nice list of media sites, blogs and other sites related to World Youth Day 2005. Of note are Tim Drake's Young and Catholic site where he has been providing insightful posts since early in the week. I will also highlight Fr. Roderick Vonhögen's Catholic Insider podcast which is a favorite of this blog. He has been producing interesting podcasts chronicling his group's pilgrimage from the Netherlands to Köln.

Of course, Köln is the home of the famous twin-spired Dom where relics of the Magi are kept for veneration by the faithful. (Click here for a virtual tour of the Dom.) The WYD theme was appropriately taken from the words of the Magi which are record in St. Matthew's Gospel: "We have come to worship Him" (2:2).

Even the WYD logo reflects this theme of journeying to worship Christ. The red cross represents Christ Whose presence dominates the WYD. The Church is seeking to foster each person's encounter with Christ through WYD. The yellow star represents God's divine guidance which will lead the young people to Christ even as the star led the Magi to the Christ child. The yellow comet tail which comes from above shows that the star is from God. He is the one Who provides the way to follow. Also, the comet tail is a symbol of the Nativity and the Epiphany. The blue C shape represents Christ, the communion of the Church, and God's protective embrace. The red spires of the Dom denote that the youth are being gathered in Köln, but also in the Church. The red color of the spires links the Church to Christ. The Church presents Christ; it is through His Church that He has chosen to call the youth, indeed all persons, to salvation. Finally, the blue arc which opens upward symbolizes the boat of the Church which provides salvation even as Noah's ark saved those who were sheltered within the ship. Also, the ship of the Church is guided by the bishop of Rome. As the captain of the ship, Benedict XVI is leading by serving. In his participation at WYD, he is making himself available for the youth of the world to teach in word and deed. This is concretely demonstrated by his scheduled visit to the synagogue, meeting with seminarians, and celebrating mass at the vigil and closing mass.