World Youth Day Pilgrimage: Italy and Poland

Heres a fact you probably dont know about people from Parma, Ohio: we dont travel
much. People may talk about leaving, but most of the time that only means a week-long vacation
to a beach on the east coast. This means that it wasnt really peculiar to other Parma people that I
hadnt been on one plane ride in my entire nineteen years of existence. However, that changed in
a big way this summer with my pilgrimage to Italy and Poland.
This trip was in the works for about two years until it finally came into fruition, so I was
certainly looking forward to it; however I did have my reservations. Not only would this trip be
my first time outside the country, but there was also nobody my age going on the trip nor was
there anyone who I was close friends with. In fact, the person I had previously talked to the most
was probably one of the priests or the nun that went on the trip with us. This meant that I was
nervous going into the pilgrimage, but thanks to my time in scouting and my first year of college,
I was already quite used to acclimating to unfamiliar places and people.
The trip itself started with a lot of travel, including my first plane ride of my life. The
flight was only from Cleveland to Atlanta, but it was certainly memorable. The seats were tight,
the turbulence was rough, and I was seated so far in the back that there wasnt even a window in
our row. Despite this, I was glad to be able to say I experienced something new so early on in my
adventure.
The next plane ride, which sent us out of the country, was much smoother and far more
enjoyable thanks to in-flight movies. I was very excited when we landed in Rome because I was
finally in a totally new country on a completely different continent. We left Rome quickly since
we were going to visit Assisi first, but I cant say that my initial impression of Rome was
amazing. The airport was a bit of a hassle since there were so many people, and as we left for

Assisi we went through what were essentially the slums of Rome. Despite this, I was still happy
to be in such a historic place.
During the bus ride to Assisi, one of the first things I noticed about Italy is that, in
contrast to America, the cars were quite small; almost everyone either owned a Fiat or had a car
that looked just like one. This was one of the many small differences - like the different
architecture, language, food, etc. - that constantly kept me aware of the fact that I was in a
location far from home.
Once we arrived in Assisi I noticed that even in the modern day, Assisi retains many
elements of its medieval self. Because of this it holds a unique beauty that is impossible to find
in the US due to our countrys modernity. With a winding, hilly town setup, the biggest buildings
being the basilicas, and the beautiful hills and farmland for miles, Assisi was a prepossessing
page out of history. In particular, I was captivated by the religious artifacts from the era of St.
Francis and St. Clare, including the San Damiano cross and the tomb of St. Clare.
Another great element of Assisi was the hospitality. We had an amazing tour guide and,
despite the tiny rooms with no AC at the hotel, our hosts there were very friendly and provided
us with our first authentic Italian meals. In addition, we met up with a friar we had previous
contact with at San Damiano church, and he gave us an extended tour around the place. Because
of all of this it was sad when we finally left Assisi, but I was also ready to continue exploring
Europe.
Next we headed back to Rome, and I was excited to finally see the parts of the city that
everyone talks about. Our first stop was Trevi Fountain, which was an amazing place to start our
trek around one of the most famous and historically influential cities on the planet. This area of
Rome was much cleaner and more aesthetic than the small part we had seen right off the airport.

For the rest of the day, we visited the Forum, the Coliseum, and the cathedral St. Peter in Chains.
Although the day was hot and we walked a lot to get to each location, to some degree the pain
from that and a multitude of other minor inconveniences helped us achieve a pilgrim spirit that
doesnt come through a typical, relaxing vacation. That night we also quickly visited The Vatican
to see what it looked like at night before the hustle and bustle of going through it the next day.
The small amount of people made for a more prayerful and serene atmosphere than that of The
Vatican at daytime, and so we were able to enjoy it in a unique way.
We began the next day with an official tour of The Vatican, in which we saw some of the
greatest artwork of the Renaissance era and of all time, in particular the Sistine Chapel. St.
Peters basilica was also amazing, and after our visit of The Vatican was complete we went to the
cathedrals St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran, and St. Mary Major. After visiting these I
qualified for receiving a plenary indulgence after a Confession, so that added immense
significance to the trip because such an indulgence erases all previously earned time in
Purgatory. However, even in such holy locations I couldnt help but feel something was off. I
believe this was because of the atmosphere of tourism, rather than that of a pilgrimage, that
plagued all of Rome and The Vatican. Although I understand that it may not be possible to
eliminate such an element while still allowing so many people to visit these places, I feel that I
couldnt fully appreciate the gravity of the cathedrals and such because of it.
After all of that was completed, we took a plane out of Rome into Berlin, and then
immediately took a bus into Poland. This ride into Poland was possibly the most uncomfortable
part of the trip. Our bus guide had a relatively poor grasp of English, we made constant stops that
extended the length of the ride, and the highway was incredibly bumpy and made of metal, in
addition to being around seventy years old. It was reminiscent of The Mean Streak.

If the bus ride into Poland was Good Friday, Auschwitz was Holy Saturday. It definitely
had a solemn vibe; even the weather was gray but quiet. Although, like Rome, there were many
people there, the spread-out nature of the grounds and the fact that most everyone there was a
pilgrim allowed me to feel some of the deepness that was not always present in Rome.
Continuing with the Triduum analogy, the rest of my time in Poland certainly felt like
Easter Sunday compared to the first portion of the visit. We ate Saint John Paul IIs favorite
dessert and visited his home town later that day, and the atmosphere was electric. People from all
over the world were singing songs and hymns in their native tongues, and there was a strong
sense of unity - which is appropriate since the term catholic comes from the Greek phrase for
universal. There were so many people that we couldnt even fit inside the arena where Matt
Maher and Audrey Assad were holding a concert, in addition to Fr. Robert Barron giving a talk.
Despite this, I was happy to begin to meet new people from all around the world and I was
optimistic for the rest of our time in Poland.
Our next day in Poland began with visiting Market Square in the heart of Krakow. This
was probably my favorite part of the entire pilgrimage. The energy from the pilgrims, St. Marys
Basilica, and the authentic Polish food made me more proud than ever to be Polish and Catholic.
After that we went to a gigantic gathering in Blonia Park where the pope gave a speech, and I
played frisbee with people from Ireland, France, Poland, and the US all at the same time. That
was another experience I hope to never forget.
After another couple church visits and another gathering with the pope the next day, we
prepared for a long hike the day after that to meet everyone for the final vigil. We had to travel
ten miles, and though luckily we squeezed on a tram for a couple of them, it was mostly a hike.
This walk in the blistering heat reminded us yet again that we were pilgrims, not tourists.

Before the vigil, I traded some American flags and other such US-themed items with
people from around the world as part of a tradition that happens at every WYD. In return, I got
items related to the countries of the people I traded with, including an Italian flag, Polish scarf,
Portuguese pin, and more. The vigil itself was neat, but the apex was Pope Franciss speech. The
constant theme was that he encouraged all of us to never let ourselves be couch potatoes so
that we can make a positive change on the world. We packed our things and left after the vigil,
which was a bit of a disappointment because we would have to miss Mass with the pope the next
morning due to our travel agencys plans for us.
The next day included one more quick visit to Market Square, and then we had a long,
complex string of flights and rides back to the United States. Although the trip was amazing, I
was glad to be back in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Somehow, the trip
simultaneously made me feel a greater appreciation both for my beloved America as well as for
Italy and Poland, and for all the different kinds of people I met from all around the world.
Overall, this trip made me truly understand the universal element of Catholicism. All of
these people I met and all of these places I visited were very different, yet I felt a unique oneness
with them as well because we were united in our faith. I am very fortunate to have had the
opportunity to make such a pilgrimage, and from here on out I hope to apply this sense of
oneness yet respect for everyones cultural differences in everyday life.