ACI MENA, Aug 14, 2025 /
18:07 pm
After the conclusion of the Catholic Jubilee of Youth in Rome, which saw a strong presence of Middle Eastern Christians including a delegation from Egypt, the city of Alexandria has launched its own Catholic Youth Jubilee, organized by the Latin Church there.
The initiative aims to include young people who were unable to travel to Rome and is being held in two phases: The first took place from Aug. 9–12 and the second from Aug. 12–15, which primarily involved the Sudanese and Eritrean communities at St. Mark House in Borg El Arab.
The jubilee is under the patronage and presence of apostolic vicar of the Latins in Egypt, Bishop Claudio Lurati, organized by his deputy Monsignor Antoine Tawfiq and Sister Chiara Latif of the Franciscan Elizabethan Sisters. It has been carried out in collaboration with the Egyptian and Sudanese-Eritrean youth committees alongside Comboni Father Deus Gratias.
Participants in the events include youth from various Egyptian governorates as well as others from African and European countries, including a delegation from Como, Italy, who came to assist in organizing the event.
The jubilee days opened with a celebratory Mass at St. Catherine’s Cathedral in Alexandria, presided over by Lurati and marked by the reception of the relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis.
Before the Mass, attendees were given a brief presentation on the life of Acutis to encourage them to follow his example of holiness and prayer, especially as he is close in age to many of them. After the Mass, participants were blessed with the relics.
In a symbolic gesture, youth returning from Rome handed over the “Great Cross” to their peers who could not travel, who then presented it to Lurati.
On the feast of St. Clare of Assisi on Aug. 11, participants visited the King Mariout area, home to one of the monasteries of the Poor Clares, the order founded and led by St. Clare in the 13th century. They met with seven sisters, prayed with them, and listened to story of St. Clare. There, Lurati explained the meaning of the jubilee and the plenary indulgence that can be obtained, and spoke about the importance of walking with God and others in joy, peace, and hope.
The jubilee program also included a penitential service, talks on the meaning of the jubilee, youth life, and the Bible as well as a presentation of the Latin Church’s achievements in Egypt and its future plans. Organizers place a special emphasis on prayer, introducing new devotions such as the “Rosary of Hope” and the “Way of Light.”
Participants from both phases of the event also gathered for a shared day, during which Tawfiq and Sister Latif shared their experiences from the Jubilee of Youth in Rome.
The second phase concludes on Aug. 15 with a Mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Alexandria, where several young people will receive the sacrament of confirmation.
This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.
Souhail Lawand is a writer at ACI MENA, a researcher in Roman and Christian history, an educator, and a scout leader.
