"They" said no one would attend because a) it was Germany, and no one believes there; b) it was all about the personality of JP II. However, at the opening press conference, the following items were revealed. (Via Tim Drake, and do go to his site for mood-setting, reporting, lots of photos, and links to other WYD blog sites. Remember, the Pope asked us all to make a virtual pilgrimage to Cologne.)
*405,000 pilgrims have registered - the highest number ever registered for a WYD.
*They expected 5,000 priests. 9,805 have registered.
"We won't have enough stoles for all of them," said Cardinal Joachim Meisner. Cardinal Meisner compared World Youth Day to like waiting for Christmas. "Finally, the day has come," Cardinal Meisner said. "It's like when the four weeks of Advent are over and you just can't wait for Christmas." He went on to
repeat something he has said before, namely that he feels this WYD is being celebrated by two popes - "One from Heaven above and one from earth. The late Pope John Paul II is looking down on us from above with sympathy." "Worship in God is not an aspect of piety, but a requirement to build a society of love and justice."
