MANILA, December 23, 2009—Young people from all over the world are set to gather in Manila early part of February 2010 for a pilgrimage of trust organized by the Taize brothers.

The upcoming “Pilgrimage of Trust on Earth” will be the second time in Manila, which hosted the first meeting in 1991, and the fifth in Asia. The religious event is slated on February 3-7, 2010 at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati City.

With barely two months away, preparations for the spiritual assembly are in high gear with volunteers visiting parishes to meet youth leaders and facilitate prayer meetings.

A group of international youth volunteers have arrived last month from Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, Germany, Korea and Indonesia to beef up the Taize secretariat led by the Taize brothers and Little Sisters of Jesus.

With the general theme of “Inner Life and Solidarity” centered on trust, peace and reconciliation, the international youth meeting aims to lead young people “in their search for God and in their desire to commit themselves in the Church and society.”

The meeting will include common prayers and sharing on the word of God. The morning prayers will be done in the parishes and religious communities where participants will be lodged. The afternoon activities consisting of midday prayer, workshops, sharing and evening prayers will be held at the central venue in Don Bosco, Makati.

The event is being organized in coordination with the Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

ECY executive secretary, Fr. Conegundo Garganta said participation in the religious experience does not only happen during the five-day event in Manila but starts during the preparations and goes on even after the pilgrimage.

Thousands of young people aged 16 to 35 years old are expected to participate in the upcoming Manila “pilgrimage of trust”.

The fifth international youth meeting in Asia, the previous meetings were held in Chennai (Madras), India in 1985 and 1988; Manila, Philippines in 1991, and Kolkata, India in 2006. (CBCPNews/Kate Laceda)