YOUNG people from Herefordshire are planning to attend a World Youth Day event in Germany next year.

The occasion can attract up to eight million people between the ages of 16 and 35 and a large number of Roman Catholics from the Archdiocese of Cardiff, including Herefordshire, will be among them.

The event is held every two years and Pope John Paul II blessed and presented a World Youth Day Cross to young people to share with them in rejoicing in their faith and to give thanks to God for their salvation through death and resurrection.

World Youth Day was last held in Toronto, Canada, in 2002 and since then the cross has been travelling round the world, to arrive in Cologne in Germany by August next year.

The Archbishop of Cardiff, Archbishop Peter Smith, recently welcomed the cross to Cardiff and young people from Herefordshire were among hundreds who went to greet it when it arrived at St David's Catholic Cathedral.

Father Martin Donnelly, parish priest at Our Lady's Church, in Belmont Road, described the ceremony as a moving occasion with the cathedral filled to capacity.

The cross had been carried through Queen Street and Charles Street in Cardiff before entering the cathedral, causing many people to express delight at seeing the depth and sincerity of faith so many displayed, said Father Martin.

Once the cross had been received by the Archbishop the young people held an hour-long service of praise.

They came from many parishes and schools in the diocese and pupils from St Mary's School at Lugwardine led many of the prayers.

Later in the day they took part in a celebration of Mass and later the cross moved on to be welcomed in other parts of the country.

Anyone in Herefordshire who would like more information about World Youth Day should contact Father Martin at Our Lady's Church, phone 01432 265177.