– Miguel Augusto (*)
The 30th edition of “Mladifest” started yesterday in Medjugorje. The Youth Festival had been taking place since 1989 in the small Franciscan parish village of Bosnia and Herzegovina, today a Marian Shrine. Father Danko Perutina, former coordinator of “Mladifest,” spoke to ZENIT in the past about the history and spirit of the festival that has been growing over the years. The Franciscan priest recalled the origins of the Festival and stressed that it is a gathering of young Catholics from around the world that takes place every year in the first week of August. “The first festival was organized by Father Slavko Barbaric, attended by about two hundred young people,” said Fr Perutina.
The theme of the Festival this year is: “Follow me” (Mark 10:21).
Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Vicar General of Rome, was the main celebrant of the opening Mass of “Mladifest 2019.” The closing Holy Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation.
In recent years, more than 50,000 young people and 400 priests from around the world have participated in the event. This year’s Festival program includes the following activities and moments of prayer: recitation of the Holy Rosary, Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, the Angelus, catechesis, testimonies, prayer in the presence of the Cross, Our Lady’s procession, theatre and musical show (Cenacolo): CREDO, songs, climbing the Cross Mountain and Holy Mass on Cross Mountain.
The website www.marytv.tv, promises live coverage of the various moments of the event.
Follow
