His Eminence, Dom Orani João Tempesta, Archbishop of Rio de Janerio meets with the president of the Catholic Pilgrim Office, Mr. Samir Zumot, KHS at the Episcopal Palace of Rio de Janeiro
October 19, 2011: The Archbishop Dom Orani Joao Tempesta personally met with the President of The Catholic Pilgrim Office, Samir Zumot K.H.S at the Episcopal Palace of Rio de Janeiro. In preparation for WYD 2013 in Rio, a few issues have been discussed with His Eminence Dom Orani. Please take a moment to read his reassuring words on the following topics:
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Transport, accommodation availabilities, and prices:
As with any growing economy, Brazil’s high season for travel is growing and growing, causing hotels to reach capacity and for prices to increase during these periods, ultimately causing concerns for pilgrims.
His Eminence Dom Orani assured the President of The Catholic Pilgrim Office that meetings with the main Brazilian airlines, hotels and restaurant associations will be organized. It will be stressed that the young pilgrims do not have the finances to pay prices such as the ones charged during events like New Year’s Eve, Carnival, and Sports or Music Festivals, targeted to adult travelers.
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Official Rio Website
His Eminence added that the official website (www.rio2013.com) which is in Portuguese and English at this time will be in 18 languages by the beginning of 2012 and will take the requests of the pilgrims who will need help from the Church for simple accommodations, transport and meals.
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Security worries of the young pilgrims and their families:
His Eminence Dom Orani is aware that a negative view of the country and the city of Rio has formed over the years. He understands the pilgrim’s concerns due to this perception.
It is important to note that Rio has the same type of issues that most of the capitals around the world have. It is important to focus on Brazil as a richly religious country and the warm hospitality of the Brazilian people and their culture.
As an example, when Pope John Paul II visited Rio in 1997 the problems with security and violence in the city were far worse than today, and because of the love and respect that Brazilian people have for the Pope and the Catholic Church, all walks of life in Brazil chose devotion over violence. The city has welcomed millions of travelers to experience peaceful events, with minimal problems over the years. WYD 2013 is highly important for all Brazilians, and the Federal Government included the event within a Special Commission. This Special Commission is taking care of and coordinating with the States and City Governments, for all the large international events happening in the country (such as World Cup Soccer and the Olympic Games). All the participants in WYD 2013 can be rest assured that they will be safe and will have the most peaceful experience in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. As Brazil becomes one of the leading economies in the world, the safety of the pilgrims and visitors is a major priority for this growing country.
In closing, His Eminence Dom Orani gave his blessings to our President in sending the Pilgrims to Rio for World Youth Day 2013. His Eminence is looking forward to hosting the Catholic Youth in the beautiful country of Brazil for a week of worship and spiritual transformation.