World Youth Day 2023 attracts over one million Catholics to Lisbon

From August 1, 2023, Lisbon, Portugal, is set to welcome over a million Catholics from around the globe to participate in the World Youth Day (WYD), an event celebrated in the presence of Pope Francis.

The city will host a significant event organized by the Catholic Church, which has an estimated cost of €160 million (R$830 million), partially funded by the Portuguese government.

Cardinal D. Manuel Clemente will lead the opening mass at Parque Eduardo VII, in the city center, at 7:30 PM local time.

Pope Francis will arrive in Lisbon on the morning of August 2 until the event concludes on Sunday, August 6.

Lisbon’s accommodations are fully booked despite higher prices, as the city is expected to host between 1 million to 1.5 million visitors during the event. As of early July, about 313,000 pilgrims from 151 countries had completed registration, though registration was not mandatory.

Controversy arose due to the event’s expenses, estimated at €160 million (R$830 million).

The Portuguese government contributed approximately €36 million (R$187 million), while Lisbon’s city council paid €35 million (R$181 million), and Loures contributed €10 million (R$52 million). The Church stated it had spent around €80 million (R$415 million).

The Expresso newspaper reported that over 75% of contracts were finalized without a bidding process, prompting protests, including a public artwork by Portuguese artist Bordalo II, criticizing the use of public funds for the event.

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