THE Archdiocese of Cebu is inviting interested youths who want to participate in next year’s World Youth Day (WYD) which will be held in Lisbon, Portugal on Aug. 1 to 6, 2023.The WYD was supposed to be held in August 2022 but due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, this was postponed to August 2023.During a press conference on Friday, March 18, 2022, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said he is inviting young Cebuano Catholics to participate in this even as this is an opportunity for them to renew their faith and hope in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.Palma added that this event would be a great opportunity for the youth to see Pope Francis in person as the world situation slowly goes back to normal.Fr. Andrei Ventanilla, chairman of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Youth, said those interested to join the official delegation can check out the requirements at their office at the Archbishop’s Palace on D. Jakosalem St. in uptown Cebu City.Aside from submitting their application and other requirements, interested applicants must also pay a P100 application fee.Applicants will also need to undergo a screening process.The results of the screening process will be released on Sept. 30, 2022. A meeting will be held by the Archdiocese with the selected pilgrims the month after.Palma, along with youth coordinators and the succesful applicants, will depart from Cebu for Portugal on July 22, 2023.Local Youth DayVentanilla also announced there is a possibility that the Archdiocese will hold a Local Youth Day (LYD) now that Cebu’s alert level has been downgraded to a less strict level.But Ventanilla added they will still discuss with their organizing committee concerning when they will hold the LYD. (HIC)