Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday named Madrid as host of the next Catholic youth festival.
Speaking at the closing papal mass of the Sydney event, the pontiff
urged the 250,000 attending the final gathering of the week- long World Youth
Day to join him again in three years.
"I thank you all for your participation in World Youth Day 2008 here in
Sydney, and I look forward to seeing you all again in three years' time,"
the 81-year-old pope said. "World Youth Day 2011 will take place in
Madrid, Spain."
The announcement came as no surprise, as Madrid had been
widely tipped as a winner of the bidding for the next World Youth Day, dpa
reported.