Washington D.C., Jul 29, 2013 / 04:12 am
Over 500 local pilgrims flocked to the Franciscan Monastery in Washington D.C. on Saturday to join in prayer and show solidarity with the millions of World Youth Day pilgrims in Rio de Janeiro.
"The beauty of the Universal Church is that you can feel close to the Bishop of Rome, not because he is the Church, but because he represents a Church that is universal but also local. You can't separate those two realities," said Jonathan Lewis, Young Adult Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Washington, who put on the July 27 event.
"What happens when you enter into the local Church is that you encounter the Universal. That's what happened at Rio in D.C.," he told CNA.
"Rio in D.C." coincided with World Youth Day's closing vigil in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Participants prayed the Divine Office alongside pilgrims in Brazil. They watched Pope Francis' accompanying reflections via a live stream set up to display at the Franciscan Monastery.