Asian Catholics begin spiritual, logistical preparations for World Youth Day Seoul 2027

Church leaders in Bangladesh and India say visa hurdles and financial constraints are among the biggest challenges facing young pilgrims hoping to attend the August 2027 gathering.

DHAKA, Bangladesh — Catholic youth across Bangladesh, India, and Nepal are preparing for World Youth Day 2027, scheduled for Aug. 3–8 in Seoul, South Korea, with Church leaders describing the gathering as an opportunity for spiritual renewal, cultural exchange, and witness.

Bangladesh, home to roughly 400,000 Catholics, expects to send at least 1,000 young people and animators to Seoul, according to Father Bikash James Rebeiro, CSC, secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Youth and national youth coordinator for the Catholic Church in Bangladesh.

“Our youth in Bangladesh are eagerly waiting to participate in the World Youth Day in South Korea. In this era of social media, young people get information in advance about when and where the youth day will be. They themselves tell us that they want to participate,” Rebeiro told EWTN News.

Rebeiro emphasized that World Youth Day offers young Catholics a rare chance to share their faith and learn from peers around the world. “World Youth Day is an exchange of cultures and values. Young people from all countries, rich and poor, participate, but they learn from each other. They bear witness to their faith. Besides, catechism is taught during the youth day. These are very important,” he said.

He explained that the preparation process is rigorous. “We first set the criteria for who can participate in the World Youth Day. Then we make the final selection. Then they will participate in solitary meditation. Then they will be given an orientation. Because participating in World Youth Day is not a picnic, it is a spiritual journey,” he said.

Visa and financial hurdles

Bangladesh’s youth leaders face significant logistical challenges, including financial constraints and immigration procedures. The youth commission covers half the expenses for participants, while the remaining costs must be borne by the pilgrims themselves or their dioceses.

“Many participants do not have the capacity to bear that 50%. Then we have to raise donations for him and help him so that he can participate in World Youth Day,” Rebeiro said.

He recalled difficulties during previous international pilgrimages, including repeated questioning from immigration officers. “Last year, when I took 27 people on a jubilee pilgrimage to Rome, Italy, the immigration officer filed a GD against me. Then he let us board the plane,” he said. A GD, or General Diary, is an official police or immigration record used in Bangladesh.

Despite the hurdles, Rebeiro is hopeful that Bangladesh will send a large delegation to Seoul. Preparatory meetings with prospective pilgrims are planned for September.

India planning underway

Similar preparations are underway in India. Father Chetan Machado, executive secretary of the Commission for Youth of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, said national and regional planning has begun.

“We had a series of meetings. We planned the WYD Cross journey but for various reasons we couldn’t invite the WYD Cross,” Machado told EWTN News.

India has translated the official World Youth Day prayer into 12 local languages and begun regular prayer initiatives. Regions have started spiritual preparations, and a national retreat for potential participants is being planned for later this year. Indian youth have also taken part in the WYD theme song competition.

“The major challenge would be getting a visa for a big number of pilgrims. Going by the experience of last WYD in Lisbon, the Indian delegates faced a lot of problems obtaining a visa. The second challenge will be financial resources. As of now we do not know the total cost of travel, etc. Many young people want to go for WYD pilgrimage but due to financial situation, many withdraw,” Machado said.

In Nepal, youth leaders say a small but motivated group is preparing to join the event. Young Catholics there are engaged in spiritual preparation and are excited about their participation.

WYD Cross visit inspires enthusiasm

World Youth Day, instituted by St. John Paul II in 1985, traces its roots to the 1984 Holy Year of Redemption, when the pope entrusted young people with a large wooden cross that later became the World Youth Day Cross. The cross has since traveled around the world as a symbol of Christ’s love and a call to evangelization.

The WYD Cross visited Bangladesh in March and April 2025, traveling to the dioceses of Dinajpur, Rajshahi, and Dhaka and the Archdiocese of Chattogram, where thousands of faithful venerated it. The visit helped inspire renewed enthusiasm for the Seoul gathering.

Countries including Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, the Philippines, and Bangladesh have hosted the WYD Cross as part of the spiritual preparations leading up to the event.

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