Two Clearwater residents, Theresa Lashinski and Hannah Lisson, had the trip of a lifetime attending World Youth Day in Poland July 25 to Aug. 3.

 

World Youth Day is a worldwide pilgrimage begun by Pope John Paul II in 1986. The event is held in a different country every two to three years, and is open to all young people who want to celebrate and deepen their faith together with thousands of others.

 

One of Lashinski’s cousins, a priest, was leading this year’s World Youth Day group that was leaving from Central Minnesota. Lashinski’s mom had attended two of the events in the past and had told her so many good things about it that when her cousin reached out to her she jumped at the chance to go.

 

She contacted Lisson, who had also heard good things about the event from others. Although she had never been out of the country before, the fact that she’s 50% Polish helped make her decision to go even easier.

 

The women’s church, St. Luke’s in Clearwater, helped raise money for the trip, and the group they were traveling with also held fundraisers. 

 

Arriving in Kraków, Poland, the first day, the group spent most of the day adjusting to the seven-hour time difference. 

 

Opening ceremonies and other main events were held at Blonia Park, where mass was held and speakers heard each day. Each evening, adoration and worship was held, and depending on the day, there were breakout sessions and pilgrimages to attend.

 

The first shrine the women visited was the Shrine of St. Faustina, also called the Divine Mercy Shrine, at Lagiewniki. The church was built upon the convent where St. Faustina lived after she became a saint, and next to it is the original building where she spent her sisterhood.

 

The second shrine they visited was “Have No Fear” Pope St. John Paul II Shrine.

 

“It was the most beautiful thing,” said Lisson. “Everything was mosaic artwork.”

 

Another day Stations of the Cross was held, and along with people acting out each of the stations, bible passages were read and each was related to today’s world and things people could do, such as helping others. 

 

“It was just amazing, being with two million other people all being affected by it,” said Lisson. “It was so beautiful to see it re-enacted.”

 

“The entire atmosphere as a whole was very empowering,” said Lashinski. “Being there with all those people experiencing it together.”

 

Both women were excited to see Pope Francis. Each day they stood along the road to watch him arrive, and one day they were within 20 feet of him when he went by waving in his “popemobile.”

 

Closing ceremonies encompassed two days. Saturday, all two million people hiked nine miles to the Field of Mercy where they set up camp.

 

After adoration with the Pope that evening, candles were passed out and lit.

 

“Imagine two million people sitting or laying on the ground and everyone has this little candle,” said Lisson. “How beautiful it was and amazing that we were all there for the same reason.”

 

Everyone slept at the site of the pilgrimage, and the next morning the Pope officiated and gave the closing blessing. On the group’s journey back it started to downpour.

 

“It was kind of miserable,” said Lisson. “But it was a pilgrimage, you’re supposed to be miserable.”

 

The group had brought along 4,000 handmade blessed rosaries to share and trade with people from other countries. Throughout the event they met people from all around the world, including many European countries, the Czech Republic, China, Africa and Central America.

 

During one of their two free days before flying home the group visited Wadowice, the birthplace of Pope John Paul II, and also Auschwitz I and Auschwitz-Birkenau. 

 

“Auschwitz-Birkenau is horribly huge,” said Lisson. “It was a painful process to walk through it.”

 

“Seeing if for myself was both difficult and inspiring,” said Lashinski.

 

The second day the group traveled to Czestochowa to the shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, also known as the Black Madonna. 

 

“It was the most gorgeous church we saw,” said Lisson. “The priest there explained the goal of the church builders was when you walked into a church you would almost feel like you were entering heaven.”

 

Lashinski and Lisson both encourage anyone who has an opportunity to attend a future World Youth Day to take it.

 

“It’s not a vacation,” said Lashinski. “You make sacrifices, but in a good way.”