Pope Benedict XVI has confirmed he will be in Sydney, Australia, for World Youth Day 2008, Bishop Anthony Fisher, auxiliary bishop of Sydney told I-Media. It will be this Pope’s first visit to Oceania.

Pope Benedict officially launched preparations for the 2008 event at Palm Sunday mass yesterday in St Peter's Square, where six young Australians received the World Youth Day Cross from German youth.

The ceremony at the Vatican coincided with a special mass at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney to mark the handover, reported Australia’s Daily Telegraph.

WYD 2008 is expected to draw 130,000 foreign pilgrims.