Thousands of young people gather in Rome to delve deeper into meaning of Holy Week

Saint Josemaría Escrivá inspired and promoted UNIV, an international meeting of young university students seeking to deepen their faith. Since 1968, thousands of students travel to Rome every Holy Week for this purpose. / Crédit: Ágatha Depiné / Unsplash

ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 25, 2024 / 16:30 pm (CNA).

In 1968, St. Josemaría Escrivá inspired and promoted UNIV, an international meeting of young university students seeking to deepen their faith. Since then, thousands of students travel to Rome every Holy Week.

This year, approximately 3,000 young people will gather in the Eternal City from March 24–31 to participate in liturgical ceremonies with Pope Francis and in several meetings with the prelate of Opus Dei, Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz.

In addition, participants will have the possibility of attending university events for further study and debate on the topic “The Human Factor,” concerning artificial intelligence.

The purpose is to create a time for reflection so that young people, in dialogue with experts from different fields, can consider in depth how to contribute to the humanization of different social and professional environments.

The event is an opportunity to participate in Holy Week with a life of more intense prayer, get to know the city of Rome, go on guided tours of museums and art exhibits, and visit places related to the history of the first centuries of the Catholic Church. 

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.