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  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • THE FAMILY ALBUM
  • ONCE UPON A TIME IN ROMANIA
    • ▸Bucharest, 1989: The days of Revolution
    • ▸I’ve also lived under communism
    • ▸Portraits of transition
    • ▸”Cabernet cu pepsi”
    • ▸Romania, 1990: Beyond the headlines
    • ▸“Mineriada” – My story
    • ▸Memorial of pain
  • WORK IN PROGRESS
    • ▸Barbershop
    • ▸Melancholic Identities
    • ▸Faces
    • ▸Fragmentary world
    • ▸Two
    • ▸Buddhist monks
    • ▸About windows and walls
    • ▸Mediterraneo
  • STORIES
    • ▸Alone, together
    • ▸Life and death in Varanasi
    • ▸Trans-Siberian – An experience of becoming
    • ▸Boxing in Havana
    • ▸Moving out of Escobar shadow
    • ▸One night at Htee Thein monastery
    • ▸Easter in Sicily – I misteri
    • ▸Easter in Sicily – La pasquetta
    • ▸Stalin’s Museum in Gori
    • ▸Havana: Between magic and decay
    • ▸Muay Thai for a day
    • ▸Cuban billboards
    • ▸Seeking a geisha
    • ▸Belfast’s murals: Behind and beyond
    • ▸Riding the Yangon’s ring train
    • ▸Bazar-Barakholka-Vernisazh
    • ▸An unexpected trip to Dhobi Ghat
    • ▸A different way to look at death
    • ▸Cannes under siege
    • ▸Inside the Guru’s kitchen
    • ▸Tibetan refugees
    • ▸The Golden Triangle: A Mecca of tribal diversity
    • ▸Bullfighting: Barbaric or art ?
    • ▸Crafts and traditions in Morroco
    • ▸Glastonbury with God
  • TRAVEL
    • Cuba
      • ▸The show must go on (part 1)
      • ▸The show must go on (part 2)
      • ▸The show must go on (part 3)
      • ▸The show must go on (part 4)
    • France
      • ▸Paris
      • ▸Paris. Again
    • Greece
      • ▸Mount Athos
      • ▸Postcards from Santorini
      • ▸Athens
      • ▸Mykonos – The picture-perfect Island
    • Germany
      • ▸Berlin
    • Vietnam
      • ▸Four days in Hanoi
      • ▸Cruising through the misty Halong Bay
    • India
      • ▸Portraits of Kashmir
      • ▸Rishikesh – Spiritual marketplace
      • ▸Life on the Sidewalk
    • Ireland
      • ▸The capital of pubs
      • ▸Ireland in ten days
    • Israel
      • ▸Israel in black & white
    • Colombia
      • ▸Colombia
      • ▸Paisas, coffee and much more
      • ▸Streets of Bogota – From Dystopia to Hope
      • ▸Life along the magical Magdalena River
      • ▸A non-touristy guide to Cartagena’s Caribbean paradise
    • Myanmar
      • ▸Min-ga-la-ba Myanmar
      • ▸Up and down on the hills of Shan State
    • Japan
      • ▸Tokyo
      • ▸Springtime in Kyoto
    • Portugal
      • ▸Life at the edge of Europe
    • Russian Federation
      • ▸The unexpected Moscow
      • ▸White Nights in St. Petersburg
    • Italy
      • ▸Rome
      • ▸Random Sicily
      • ▸Vedi Napoli e poi mori
      • ▸Venice
      • ▸Vanishing Venice
    • Morocco
      • ▸Sunset, camel rides and tea in Erg Chebi
      • ▸Medinas: Morocco’s hidden cities
      • ▸Morocco outskirts
      • ▸Djemaa El Fna encounters
      • ▸Surf and hippies
      • ▸The road of the One thousand kasbahs
      • ▸Amazigh – Berber – Free men
    • Georgia
      • ▸Postcards from Georgia
      • ▸The Many Faces of Tbilisi
    • Nepal
      • ▸Kathmandu Valley
    • Romania
      • ▸Romania to go
      • ▸Maramures
      • ▸Tara Motilor
    • Jordan
      • ▸Bedouin Trails
    • Turkey
      • ▸From Turkey with love
      • ▸Ballooning Cappadocia
      • ▸Where East meets West
      • ▸Street life, Istanbul-style
    • Mexico
      • ▸Finding Mexico City
    • Malaysia
      • ▸Transit KL
    • UK
      • ▸London
      • ▸Grab your kilt and bring your pipes
    • Sweden
      • ▸Stockholm
    • Spain
      • ▸Off-season Andalusia
    • Thailand
      • ▸Bangkok, year 2555
      • ▸Life in Pai
      • ▸Thailand
    • Laos
      • ▸Luang Prabang – The City of ultimate Zen
    • Poland
      • ▸Why I love Poland
    • Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania
      • ▸Neighbors, but not relatives
      • ▸Patarei – A little slice of Hell
    • Findland
      • ▸A sunny day in Helsinki
    • Denmark
      • ▸Copenhagen
  • SINGLES
  • CONTACT
  • MY BOOKS
  • MY VIDEOS
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Cookie Policy (EU)
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Glastonbury with God

 

“Krakov, Poland – World Youth Day, a massive gathering of Catholic youth from all across the planet that’s sometimes been dubbed the “Catholic Woodstock,” took place in Krakow, Poland, July 25-31. It has brought together what organizers estimated to be two million people for six days of music, prayer and spiritual master classes. Nearly 50 cardinals, 800 bishops and 20,000 priests from around the world were nominated to participate”

That was the news I heard at Wroclaw just two days before my wife and I were preparing to leave for Krakow for the last 3 days of our journey started in the Baltic States. Even Pope Francis was coming – and it happened the very day of our arrival – fact which otherwise was immediately noticed by countless cords police and the frequent stops for checks which have strengthened as we approached Krakow. On Wednesday until the last day, we experienced an explosion of bliss and hope. There was a certain aura of a rock star about Pope Francis throughout the gatherings.

The young people gathered while sacrificing their comfort, walking miles from venue to venue. They made the hike carrying backpacks and sleeping bags, since they have spent the night in the field. The presence of police and military throughout the week was palpable but never overweening or distracting, and every night, late into the night, young revelers filled up the squares and parks of the city.

World Youth Day is regarded as a place for young people to explore their vocations towards the priesthood or religious life. Faith, family, justice and mercy were among the themes this year. That might sound like hollow rhetoric, but I had been there and what I saw was a real, living, beating heart of a youth army – an army dedicated not to violence, but to hope.

 

 

 

 

 

Glastonbury with God

 

“Krakov, Poland – World Youth Day, a massive gathering of Catholic youth from all across the planet that’s sometimes been dubbed the “Catholic Woodstock,” took place in Krakow, Poland, July 25-31. It has brought together what organizers estimated to be two million people for six days of music, prayer and spiritual master classes. Nearly 50 cardinals, 800 bishops and 20,000 priests from around the world were nominated to participate”

That was the news I heard at Wroclaw just two days before my wife and I were preparing to leave for Krakow for the last 3 days of our journey started in the Baltic States. Even Pope Francis was coming – and it happened the very day of our arrival – fact which otherwise was immediately noticed by countless cords police and the frequent stops for checks which have strengthened as we approached Krakow. On Wednesday until the last day, we experienced an explosion of bliss and hope. There was a certain aura of a rock star about Pope Francis throughout the gatherings.

The young people gathered while sacrificing their comfort, walking miles from venue to venue. They made the hike carrying backpacks and sleeping bags, since they have spent the night in the field. The presence of police and military throughout the week was palpable but never overweening or distracting, and every night, late into the night, young revelers filled up the squares and parks of the city.

World Youth Day is regarded as a place for young people to explore their vocations towards the priesthood or religious life. Faith, family, justice and mercy were among the themes this year. That might sound like hollow rhetoric, but I had been there and what I saw was a real, living, beating heart of a youth army – an army dedicated not to violence, but to hope.

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