Pope Benedict XVI will consecrate all the youth of the world to the
visible symbol of Christ’s love, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, on the night
of Aug. 20 at World Youth Day.
"It is from Jesus' heart, pierced on the cross, that this divine life streamed forth,” Pope Benedict XVI said in his World Youth Day message in preparation for the Aug. 16-21 events.
On June 29, the pontiff
announced he would dedicate all youth, not just those at World Youth
Day, to the Sacred Heart.
“The young are the hope for the future of the Church and of humanity. By carrying out this consecration we are saying that ‘only he can free the world from evil and make grow the kingdom of justice, peace and love that we all aspire to’” , according to the World Youth Day website, madrid11.com.
The first World Youth Day was in 1986, started by Blessed Pope John Paul II. This year’s event in Spain is expected to draw 1 million youth, according to the Apostleship of Prayer.
By dedicating the world’s youth to the Sacred Heart, Pope Benedict XVI is continuing a Catholic tradition of devotion to the heart of Jesus promulgated by 17th century St. Margaret Mary Alacoque to whom Jesus revealed himself in the Eucharist.
“This is the heart which has loved
men so much and yet men do not want to love me in return, and for
recognition I mainly receive only ingratitude," Jesus told St. Margaret
Mary.
In 1856 Blessed Pius IX established the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on July 1 and in 1899 Pope Leo XIII consecrated mankind to the Sacred Heart.