Digital evangelisers to gather in-person at WYD

By Linda Bordoni

Digital missionaries from across the globe are invited to head straight to Martim Moniz Square in Lisbon on 4 August straight after the Via Crucis.

That Via Crucis of course, is one of the many events that make up the 2023 World Youth Day to be held in Lisbon, Portugal from 1 to 6 August.

1st World 'in-person' Meeting

Another event is the first world in-person meeting of digital influencers and missionaries that will take place in a specially designed area for Catholic social media influencers, podcasters, YouTubers who have responded to the “The Church listens to you” initiative as part of the Church’s current synodal journey.

As a press communiqué released on Friday, 7 July, explained, the initiative stems from the response of digital missionaries “to Pope Francis' call for the Church to conduct the Synod of Synodality, with the intention of extending it to digital environments as well.”

“This event aims to celebrate and express gratitude for the great missionary work carried out daily by these influencers and digital missionaries from the five continents, who transmit the Gospel through their social media platforms,” the statement reads, and what better time to hold in than World Youth Day when so many of them will be present to be with Pope Francis?

Digital personalities

Participants in the Festival and Meeting will be invited to celebrate together, share testimonies and experiences, pray, and sing.

Digital personalities from all continents will be present to share their music and experiences. Organizers say the likes of the Hakuna Group Music from Spain, Father Rob Galea from Australia, Pitter Di Laura and Missionarios Shalom from Brazil, Pablo Martínez  from Argentina, have confirmed their presence.

Dicastery for Communication

Cardinal Maradiaga and Monsignor Lucio Adrián Ruiz, Secretary of the Dicastery for Communication, will also be present for the celebration.

The Catholic Influencers Festival is supported and sponsored by the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication and sponsored by the Catholic Association of Propagandists (ACdP) and the Cristonautas Foundation.

All Catholic influencers and digital missionaries are invited to register to attend the event in person or follow the festival online through the website.