This morning the Group from Russia arrived at Airport Frankfurt. There they got a breakfast. Then they started in vans toward Nuremberg In Würzburg they had a stop to visit the city. Our 22 guests arrived at about 5 p.m. in Altenfurt. We welcomed them with a short meditation with german and russian songs and prayers. After that they were introduced to their host families. A collective supper in the parish center rounded off this day.
On wednesday our guests visited Nurembergs Old Town with various sightseeings especially from the middle age. After the mass in Moorenbrunn they got a supper in the local parish center. In the evening slides of different events in our three parishes were shown, Referend Scholz, who was with the russian group, told something about their preparation for the Wolrd Youth Day and after the (over all language barriers) we talked and sang together.
In the forenoon the group from russia visited the Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds. At noon the group from France arrived in Nürmberg. In the afternoon we visited the zoological garden together with all guests. At 6 p.m. we had a mass in Fischbach. Subsequent we had a barbeque together with other youths from our three parishes in the youth bistro "Jamaca".
Today we had "The Day of Social Service". One group visited the old people's home at Regensburger Street, another group helped to build a "Lourdes"-grotto in the garden of the Caritas Pirckheimer old people's home in Altenfurt. A third group decorated crosses. These crosses have the form of the cross in the WYD-Logo. One cross will be given to every parish of our guests and to our three parishes as a sign of out commmon days. In the mass on Sunday the crosses will be consecrated. In the evening we went to Saint Lorenz's Church in the city. There we celebrates a feast of encounter togehter with guests, hosts and many othe youths. Youth minister Thomas Schrollinger, Bambergs Archbishop Schick, mayor Gsell and some other important persons welcomed the guests. After a short service with religious song the "Waikiki Beach Bombers" played a concert and we had a great party.
In the morning our guests visited the chaple of Mary in Fischbach, the roman rotund chaple and the rococo mansion in Altenfurt. After a bavarian veal sausage breakfast at the Leonhard-Übler-Place we went thogether in the city. There the event "discover Nuremberg – Step by Step" began. Groups of about 20 people (guests and hosts) went to different stations of three topics: "Nuremberg in the middle age", "Art and culture" and "Nuremberg today". Our group (the french one) visited "Castle and city wall", "Culinary trip" and "Toy museum". In Saint Lorenz's Church we had a final mass.
Today we had an internationalen youth mass. Songs, prayers and other texts were sung and read ind German, Russian, French or English. Our youth band "Living Stones" supported us with music and chant. In this service the crosses we decorated on "The Day of Social Service" were consecrated. Then they were given to a representat of every involved parish. After the mass the new built "Lourdes"-grotto was shown to the community. In the afternoon the hostfamilies mad trips with their guest for example in the "Fränkische Schweiz". In the evening we celebrated a "feast of encounter" with barbecue, a photo-presentation "Altenfurt on the way to the WYD" and lots of fun.