Pope Francis, left, watches as youths from Panama hand over the World Youth Day cross to youths from Portugal, at the end of a Mass celebrated on the occasion of the Christ the King festivity, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. The next World Youth Day will be held inPortugal in 2023. (Vincenzo Pinto/Pool via AP)
The Associated Press
VATICAN CITY (AP) - With no papal travels abroad this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis is cheering efforts for a youth jamboree, traditionally attended by pontiffs, in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2023.
Francis on Sunday presided over a handover ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica involving young people gearing up for the next World Youth Day, which draws huge crowds of Catholics from around the globe.
When Francis attended the last such event in Panama in 2019, organizers announced that the next jamboree would be held in Lisbon in 2022. But pandemic concerns postponed the event to August 2023.
Francis applauded after youths from Panama symbolically slid across the basilica's floor a towering wooden cross to counterparts from Portugal as part of preparations for Lisbon.
'œThis is an important step in the pilgrimage that will lead us to Lisbon in 2023,'ť the pope told the young people, several wearing hoodies or T-shirts emblazoned with the event's icon.
No foreign trips are currently scheduled for Francis, who last traveled overseas in November 2019 on a pilgrimage to Thailand and Japan.
Youths from Panama hand over the World Youth Day cross to youths from Portugal, at the end of a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis on the occasion of the Christ the King festivity, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. The next World Youth Day will be held inPortugal in 2023. (Vincenzo Pinto/Pool via AP)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis celebrates Mass on the occasion of the Christ the King festivity, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. At the end of the mass a delegation of youths from Panama will hand over the World Youth Day cross to youths from Portugal, where the next World Youth Day will be held in 2023. (Vincenzo Pinto/Pool via AP)
The Associated Press
A girl reads a prayer as Pope Francis celebrates Mass on the occasion of the Christ the King festivity, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. At the end of the mass a delegation of youths from Panama will hand over the World Youth Day cross to youths from Portugal, where the next World Youth Day will be held in 2023. (Vincenzo Pinto/Pool via AP)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis celebrates Mass on the occasion of the Christ the King festivity, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. At the end of the mass a delegation of youths from Panama will hand over the World Youth Day cross to youths from Portugal, where the next World Youth Day will be held in 2023. (Vincenzo Pinto/Pool via AP)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis celebrates Mass on the occasion of the Christ the King festivity, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. At the end of the mass a delegation of youths from Panama will hand over the World Youth Day cross to youths from Portugal, where the next World Youth Day will be held in 2023. (Vincenzo Pinto/Pool via AP)
The Associated Press