By LiCAS News
The Archdiocese of Seoul on Jan. 20 formally launched the nationwide pilgrimage of the World Youth Day (WYD) Symbols with the blessing of 15 logo sculptures at Myeongdong Cathedral.
SEOUL — Each sculpture represents one of Korea’s dioceses and bears its diocesan name, marking the start of the domestic pilgrimage of the WYD Seoul 2027 Symbols following their return to Korea in December 2025.
The WYD Cross and the Icon of Our Lady, Salus Populi Romani, had traveled throughout 2025 on an international pilgrimage across nine countries, including Rome, during the Jubilee for Youth, carrying the prayers and hopes of young people from one country to another.
Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung presided over the blessing rite and described the sculptures as a visible reminder of shared mission and grace as preparations for World Youth Day continue.
“The sculpture bearing the name of each diocese will remind everyone preparing for this event of their calling and the graces they have received,” Chung said.
He urged the faithful to dedicate themselves fully to preparations for “a festival of youth that will warmly welcome young people from all over the world,” and prayed that those who see the sculptures may grow ever more in the likeness of the Son.
Reflecting World Youth Day’s emphasis on ecological responsibility, the sculptures were produced using honeycomb board, a fully recyclable paper-based material.
The design was created by youth volunteer Jung-hoon Cho. While dimensions vary slightly by diocese, each sculpture measures about 1,500 millimeters wide and 800 millimeters high.
The 15 sculptures will be distributed to dioceses nationwide and will accompany diocesan and parish events during the pilgrimage, serving as a sign of unity and communion within the Church in Korea.
The nationwide pilgrimage of the WYD Cross and Marian Icon is set to begin Jan. 21 in the Diocese of Wonju. The Symbols will visit all 15 dioceses before returning to the Archdiocese of Seoul in June 2027.
