Pope's 'Jubilee of Youth' closes with huge Rome mass

2 days ago

The week-long event ending Sunday, a highlight of the Jubilee holy year, was an enormous undertaking for the Vatican, with a half a million young pilgrims in Rome for most of the week.
On Saturday night, before an twilight vigil led by the pope, organisers had confirmed the attendance of 800,000 people in the vast, open-air space on Rome's eastern outskirts, and on Sunday the Vatican said that number had grown to one million people.
Most of those attending slept on the ground in tents, in sleeping bags or or mats, awaiting Sunday's mass under sunny skies.
To music from a choir, green-robed bishops began filling an enormous stage covered with a golden arch and a massive cross before Leo, who arrived by helicopter, began mass.
The Vatican said 450 bishops and around 700 priests participated in the final event for the youth, who have filled Rome's streets since Monday.
The festive atmosphere reached its peak Saturday ahead of an evening vigil presided over by Leo, with Italian broadcaster Rai dubbing it a Catholic "Woodstock".
Hundreds of thousands of youths camped out at the dusty venue, strumming guitars or singing, others snoozing, as music blasted from the stage where a series of religious bands entertained the crowds.
Leo was greeted with deafening screams and applause after his arrival by helicopter Saturday as he toured the grounds in his popemobile, with many people running to catch a better glimpse of the new American pope.
At over 500,000 square metres (125 acres), the grounds were the size of around 70 football fields.
British student Andy Hewellyn had parked himself in front of a huge video screen -- a prime spot, as he could not even see the stage far away.
"I'm so happy to be here, even if I'm a bit far from the pope. I knew what to expect!" he told AFP.
"The main thing is that we're all together."
The youth pilgrimage came about three months after the start of Leo's papacy and 25 years after former pope John Paul II organised the last such youth gathering in Rome.
The Church planned a series of events for the young pilgrims over the course of the week, including turning the Circus Maximus -- where chariot races were held in ancient Rome -- into an open-air confessional.

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Gen Z shift, high costs force UK nightclubs to reinvent

France 24

13 hours ago

France 24

Gen Z shift, high costs force UK nightclubs to reinvent

Pryzm Kingston is a well-known club in southwest London popular with students, where artists like Billie Eilish, Rod Stewart, and Stormzy have performed. But the converted cinema closed its doors for renovation last month, with its owners saying it was time to "look to the future and reimagine this venue for the next generation of partygoers." It will be transformed into a smaller club and a dance bar -- "creating venues that reflect what people are looking for now," they added. Many other British clubs are also trying to re-adjust after around a third of them, about 400 venues, have shut down since 2020, according to the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA). "Whilst nightclubs were in gentle decline prior to Covid, the pandemic profoundly accelerated things," Tony Rigg, a music industry consultant, told AFP, noting that the cost-of-living crisis had sent bills and rents soaring. As the first pints of the evening were poured in central London, 26-year-old account manager Conor Nugent told AFP he only goes clubbing for "special occasions," after asking himself "if it's really worth it." Like 68 percent of 18-to-30-year-olds, the Londoner has cut back on nights out for financial reasons and prefers to save up for concerts and events. Rigg pointed out that Covid-19 caused a "cultural shift" among Gen Z — those born between 1997 and 2012 — who generally drink less alcohol and largely miss out on the "rite of passage of going out, experiencing clubs and learning some social behaviours." Lure of Paris, Berlin Rekom UK, the company behind iconic clubs like Pryzm and Atik, filed for bankruptcy in 2024, shutting down 17 venues across the country, citing multiple pressures. About 20 others, including Kingston, were acquired by Neos Hospitality, which decided to convert some into dance bars or host alcohol-free events. "The sector has to evolve otherwise it will become obsolete," Rigg acknowledged. To stop hemorrhaging party-seekers lured by Berlin or Paris, London Mayor Sadiq Khan launched an independent working group called the "Nightlife Taskforce," which is set to publish a report later this year. "One of the reasons why people love London is our nightlife, our culture," Khan told AFP. "When I speak to mayors in Paris, in New York and Tokyo, I'm jealous of the powers they have" especially on licensing issues, he said, adding he was looking at other cities like Paris "with envy" as it enjoys a nighttime boom. He was granted approval in March to overrule certain local authorities who had forced pubs, restaurants, concert halls, and nightclubs to close early. The government has also announced plans to change regulations to support nightlife venues in certain areas. "Sadly, in the UK, we struggle with reputational issues and a narrative that makes (clubbing) more of a counterculture element rather than a real economic and cultural driver," NTIA head Michael Kill, who advocates for greater recognition of electronic music and club culture, told AFP. The night-time sector contributes a vital £153 billion ($203 billion) a year to the UK economy, employing around two million people, according to NTIA. And with London still enjoying a long, well-established reputation, all is not lost. The capital remains an "exciting" city, 25-year-old Carys Bromley who recently moved to London from the island of Guernsey, told AFP. "There's a lot of parties, clubs, and a big nightlife. The places stay open longer, it's busier, a bit more wild," she said.