Pope Francis was the first to sign up for the 2016 World Youth Day on Sunday using an iPad. While addressing thousands at Saint Peter's square, the head of the Catholic Church registered using the tablet.
"Today we open registration for the thirty-first World Youth Day, to be held next year in Poland," said the 78-year-old via the Catholic News Agency. "I invite the youth of the world to live this pilgrimage that will be going to Krakow."
"Thanks to this electronic device, I signed up as a simple pilgrim," said Pope per the Associated Press. The Argentine national declared himself the first person to sign up while holding an audience and was flanked by two Polish youths.
Prior to signing up for the event, the Pope called for the release of Italian Jesuit priest Paola Dall'Oglio was kidnapped two years earlier in Syria. NBC News also notes that aside from Dall'Oglio, Pope Francis also prayed for the release of Orthdox bishops being held "and all the other people in conflict zones who have been kidnapped." The Pontiff made a call for "renewed engagement by local and international authorities" in order to ensure that all hostages being held.
The next global meeting for the Catholics will be held in Krakow, Poland on July 26 to 31, 2016. It follows the 2013 event held in Rio de Janiero. The celebration is held every two to three years and draws crowds that go up to five million. It's expected that the crowd will bring up 2.5 million people, 30,000 of which will be coming from the United States.
2016's celebration will be the 31s edition of the World Youth Day established by Pope John Paul II in 1986. Coincidentally, AP notes that next year's activity will bring the celebration to Poland where Pope Paul hails from and served as Archbishop of Krakow.
CNA notes that the Pope revealed the next World Youth Day will be "a jubilee of youth" and will focus on a reflection of its biblical theme, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
Since being established, World Youth Day has been held in different countries across four continents.
Click here to head to the official World Youth Day Krakow website.
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