Covadonga Asturias
(ZENIT News / Lisbon, 16.08.2023).- During the week of Lisbon’s World Youth Day, one of the most crowded events was held outside the Pope’s official program: The Change.
It was an ecumenical initiative that involved many Christian Churches, which united in the context of the WYD. The event was held on Friday, August 4 in the Benfica soccer stadium in the center of Lisbon. The organization was carried out by the Evangelical-Charismatic Associação Rodrigues Pereira, together with CHARIS of the Catholic Church. The cast had the participation of artists such as Matt Maher, Taya Smith (of Hillsong United) and an appearance of Jonathan Roumie (the Jesus of the series “The Chosen”) among many others, with a theme of unity and evangelization. The concert was attended by 45,000 people of different Christian traditions.
Pope Francis sent a video-message in Spanish to the participants in that meeting of praise, Adoration and Christian testimony, held in the Estadio da Luz del Benfica, Lisbon. Recalling King David praising and dancing before God, Pope Francis invited all the participants to “praise God . . . with joy.” He also recalled the call to unity and he thanked all for their commitment to promote Christian unity.
