Pope Benedict XVI heard confessions from four young people in Madrid
at the August 20 event billed as a “Forgiveness Festival,” where 200
priests also offered the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
A drawing took place from the pool of World Youth Day volunteers who
wished to go to Confession with the Pope, according to Vatican Press
Office Director Father Federico Lombardi.
To be included in the pool, the volunteers had to be able to speak
one of the three languages that the Pope speaks best: Italian, French or
German.
Two volunteers from France, one from Switzerland, and one from Spain
were chosen.
Originally, three young people were to be chosen, but a
fourth was selected in case one could not attend.
In the end, however,
all four arrived and met with the Pope.
Pope Benedict concluded the confessions in the morning and went to
the Cathedral of El Almudena, where about 2,000 seminarians were
expecting him for a special Mass.
A World Youth Day volunteer named Guadalupe was at the Forgiveness
Festival, and told CNA that she had “never seen anything like it in my
life.”
Young people “cried with joy and excitement. It was very nice to see so many people united,” she reflected.