Rome, Italy, Feb 28, 2020 / 05:00 am
Bishops from the Middle East have proposed a regional youth gathering similar to World Youth Day for young Catholics from Syria to Somalia.
The proposed "World Day of Youth of the Arab Regions" would take place in Jordan as the first host country with the goal of encouraging "mass participation" from the region, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
Bishops representing Catholics in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Cyprus, Somalia, and countries of the Arabian Peninsula met in Rome Feb. 17-20 and discussed the proposed Arab World Youth Day gathering at the meeting of the Conference of Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions (CELRA).
During their plenary meeting in Rome, the 14 bishops met with Pope Francis following a daily Mass in Santa Marta, and attended meetings with several members of the curia.