WYD Trek TNG: Day 7

Pilgrims, blisters, and castles

Canadian pilgrims cheer and celebrate as they, along with thousands of other pilgrims,
parade down the main streets of Gdansk.

Today, we celebrated Mass with many World Youth Day pilgrims.

Thousands of pilgrims from all over the world gathered in Gdansk, Poland, to celebrate the Eucharist and gather together in solidarity.

The sight was breathtaking, as the Canadian flag stood proud alongside flags from all over the world, including Italy, Brazil, USA, and Singapore.

The Mass was celebrated by Gdansk's Archbishop Slaeoj Leszek Glodz, with many other concelebrants including the Archdiocese of Vancouver's very own Father Richard Au.

To see so many pilgrims in one place gave me a taste of what Krakow will be like, as the amount of people gathered there was like a grain of sand compared to what will await us later when World Youth Day opens.

After the Mass, we traveled by train to the largest Gothic castle in the world: Malbork. The castle had a very tourist-trap feel to it, but still held a lot of history.

We witnessed legitimate sword and shield combat, which was surprisingly more similar to American football in the way combatants would frequently charge their opponents and tackle them to the ground.

We had a very busy day. On the downside, my feet have produced four very well-shaped blisters.

Tomorrow we will be viewing Gdansk from a different angle; the river. We will be kayaking along the city's bank.
jtng@rcav.org