Official WYD Hymn - Rio 2013 - "Hope of the Dawn" or "Cross of Hope"

The Apostolic Nuncio will celebrate the Mass on Friday, September 14th, The Feast of the Holy Cross

RIO DE JANEIRO, Wednesday 5 September 2012 (ZENIT.org). - There is a strong expectation of young people to present the official anthem of the World Youth Day Rio 2013, which already has produced the video-clip. As one of those responsible for the Pastoral Sector Preparedness Local Organizing Committee, Father Leandro Lenin, anthem, will be presented on 14 September during the "Feast of the the Holy Cross", with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Brazil apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Giovanni d'Aniello.

"We are in a holding pattern positive that will help us at the time of the premiere of the anthem, to surprise us all," said Father Leandro, who also noted that he was elected on September 14th, because this day is commemorated Exaltation of the Holy Cross, "which takes us back to the same cross pilgrim."

The author's official anthem is the father José Cândido, of the parish of San Sebastián in Belo Horizonte, who titled his composition "Cross of Hope". In recent statements to the official website of World Youth Day 2013, Father Jose defines his work as a "simple melody and lyrics", whose main message will serve to call young people to become friends of God and through this friendship, announce Jesus as disciples.

"I applied for the competition encouraged by my friends," said the winner, "and wrote inspired by the exuberant nature of Rio de Janeiro, in the Christ the Redeemer with open arms and the theme of WYD: Go and Make disciples of all nations ". The father is composer José Cândido 200 other liturgical song titles, among which "The whole Bible is communication" and "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

"Youth, spring / hope of the dawn / who hears this call / welcomes the gift of believing. "

In October last year, opened the contest with the lyrics, and from November to March the inscriptions were made. Pastoral Preparation Sector received about 180 letters. They all went through a doctrinal assessment process, creativity, beauty and poetry, all that evaluated by music professionals. In the second stage of selection, of these 180 letters, was elected a block of the top 20, among which came out the winner.

According to Father Leandro, the issue related to the possibility of translation into other languages, was also considered. "It is not always easy to convey the poetry and all the resplendence of what was done in one language, for all others."