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Krakow, Poland, Jul 26, 2016 / 11:05 am (CNA).- Many special moments are anticipated during Pope Francis' visit to Poland this week for World Youth Day, especially considering his visit to Auschwitz and his meeting with 10 Holocaust survivors.

However one thing that could easily slip through the cracks in the lead-up, but will likely be a major part of what shapes the trip, are his evening dialogues with youth from the balcony of the Bishop’s Palace.

Every night when he comes back to Krakow after the day’s activities, Pope Francis will appear on the palace balcony to address youth gathered below.

Given Francis’ spontaneous nature and the personal connection he forms when engaging with groups in more intimate settings, the off-the-cuff conversations will likely be what sets the tone for the trip, more so than his scheduled activities.

The tradition was initiated by St. John Paul II, who spoke to youth from the balcony every time he visited his homeland as Pope.

John Paul II, who was originally from Wadowice, Poland, moved to the Bishop’s Palace in Krakow Aug. 10, 1944, while studying at the Archdiocese of Krakow’s clandestine seminary, forced to go underground when Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during the Second World War.

He was ordained a priest by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha in the archbishop’s private chapel at the palace, and he stayed there when he was elected bishop of the local metropolitan diocese in 1958.

Then-cardinal Wojtyla later resided in the palace as the Archbishop of Krakow until his Oct. 16, 1978, election as the Bishop of Rome.

As Pope, St. John Paul II returned to Poland nine times in 1979, 1983, 1987, twice in 1991, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2002. During each of his pilgrimages to Krakow, the Polish Pope would stay at the Bishop’s Palace, and would come out on the balcony each night to greet and speak with youth gathered below.

The famous window from which he spoke is located just above the entrance to the building. A statue of the St. John Paul II was gifted to the diocese in 1980 and now stands in the courtyard below.

His evening chats with Polish youth came to define John Paul’s visits to Krakow, and many who weren’t necessarily young would also come out to hear what the Vicar of Christ had to say.

The taxi driver on the way into Krakow said that as a child, he used to attend the evening balcony talks, and that the discussions formed a unique, special environment. He noted that John Paul would frequently tell jokes and jest with the youth, creating a casual, open environment.

Benedict XVI also imitated the gesture during his visit to Poland in 2006, and now Pope Francis will do the same during WYD, continuing the legacy of the great Polish Pope, which is still blatantly alive and thriving throughout the country.

St. John Paul II established World Youth Day in 1985; the first event was held in Rome in 1986. Since then it has occurred in various cities throughout the world, typically every three years.

World Youth Day in Krakow officially kicks off July 25 and lasts through July 31, with Pope Francis arriving July 27. It will be Pope Francis’ second World Youth Day during his pontificate.

Other highlights to watch out for will be his gestures, since he speaks louder with his actions than his words. Especially noteworthy will be his actions during his visit to Auschwitz, where he will sit in silence at Block 11, and will meet with 10 Holocaust survivors as well as 25 “Righteous Among the Nations.”

Francis will likely also make a lot of references to his predecessor St. John Paul II, given the fact that he is not only in the great Saint’s homeland, but also given the fact that the Polish Pope is still so widely recognized and revered in Polish society, even for those who aren’t necessarily religious.

Apart from these highlights, the rest should be a fairly normal WYD scene. However, while Francis’ schedule is packed with different events, we can’t leave out the possibility of at least a few papal surprises.

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Krakow, Poland, Jul 26, 2016 / 11:45 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz’s welcome to World Youth Day pilgrims on Tuesday had a stirring reminder: it is up to them to ensure that the Gospel of Jesus Christ reaches the world.

“Carry the flame of your faith and ignite with it other flames, so that human hearts will beat to the rhythm of the Heart of Christ, which is ‘a flaming fire of love’,” Cardinal Dziwisz, the Archbishop of Krakow, said in his homily for the July 26 opening Mass of World Youth Day at the city's Blonia Park.

“May the flame of love engulf our world and rid it of egoism, violence and injustice, so that a civilization of good, reconciliation, love and peace will be strengthened on our earth.”

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, including Pope Francis, are expected in Krakow for the global gathering of Catholic youth. St. John Paul II was archbishop of the city before becoming Pope in 1978. The cardinal served as a close aide to the Pope.

Cardinal Dziwisz reflected on what brought all the World Youth Day pilgrims together.

“We are all here because Christ has gathered us. He is the light of the world,” he said.

“Only He – Jesus Christ – is able to satisfy the deepest desires of the human heart,” he added. “It is He who has led us here. He is present among us. He is accompanying us like He accompanied His disciples headed for Emmaus. Let us entrust Him in these days our matters, fears and hopes.”

The cardinal urged the faithful to listen – and respond – to Christ's questions about love, as he asked St. Peter after the Resurrection.

Cardinal Dziwisz said that “meeting with Jesus, we simultaneously realize that we all make up a great community – the Church – which surpasses the boundaries established by people and which divide people.”

“We are all God's children, redeemed by the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ,” the cardinal continued. “Experiencing the universal Church is a great experience associated with World Youth Day. The image of the Church depends on us – on our faith and sanctity. It is up to us to ensure that the Gospel reaches those who have not yet heard about Christ or have not learnt enough about Him.”

Cardinal Dziwisz challenged the pilgrims to share with each other “what is most valuable.”

“Let us share our faith, our experiences, our hopes. My dear young friends, may these days be an opportunity to form your hearts and minds,” he said.

He encouraged them to listen to bishops’ catecheses and to Pope Francis, and to participate in the liturgy wholeheartedly.

“Experience the merciful love of the Lord in the sacrament of reconciliation. Discover also the churches of Krakow, the wealth of the culture of this city, as well as the hospitality of its inhabitants and of those of neighboring towns, where we will find rest after a day’s rigors,” he urged.

“Krakow is alive with the mystery of Divine Mercy,” he said, referring to the visions and devotion of St. Faustina Kowalska, which were popularized by St. John Paul II.

The cardinal also reflected on the diverse backgrounds of pilgrims, who come from “every nation under heaven.”

“We come from such parts of the world where people live in peace, where families are communities of love and life and where young people can pursue their dreams,” he said. “But among us are also young people from countries whose people are suffering due to wars and other kinds of conflicts, where children are starving to death and where Christians are brutally persecuted. Among us are young pilgrims from parts of the world that are ruled by violence and blind terrorism, and where authorities usurp power over man and nations, following insane ideologies.”

“We bring to this meeting with Jesus during these days our personal experiences of living the Gospel in our difficult world,” Cardinal Dziwisz said. “We can face the challenges of the modern world, in which man chooses between faith and disbelief, good and evil, love and its rejection.”

He encouraged them to be messengers of good news, like St. John Paul II. They should return to their communities carrying “the spark of mercy” and remind everyone of the Beatitude, “blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

“Carry the good news about Jesus Christ to the world,” his homily concluded.

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IMAGE: CNS photo/Pawel Supernak, EPA

By Jonathan Luxmoore

KRAKOW, Poland (CNS) -- Polish police have raised the official security threat level at World Youth Day in Krakow, after an Iraqi man was arrested with traces of explosives.

However, a police spokesman said the category of "alpha," or high, was not linked to any "concrete threat," adding that security arrangements were "proceeding smoothly" for the expected arrival of 2 million young people in the southern city.

"We're determined to assure maximum security for all, and our staffers are doing everything they should," said Mariusz Ciarka, spokesman for Poland's Warsaw-based police headquarters.

"But we're also urging everyone to be vigilant and to inform the police or Youth Day volunteers if they see anything suspicious, such as baggage or packs left unattended, and to show understanding if we implement selective controls and movement restrictions. Safety of such a huge gathering of people is what's most important," Ciarka said July 26 ahead of the official opening ceremony World Youth Day.

Officials were expecting half a million young people to attend opening ceremonies from 187 countries in Krakow's Blonia Park.

He said security services had so far noted only "minor incidents," such as lost documents and small injuries, as well as a July 25 bus crash in which no one was reported injured.

He said police were using mobile X-ray devices and metal detectors, as well as using dogs trained to detect explosives, at railway and bus stations and major road hubs around the city, as well as anywhere crowds gathered.

Gas tankers and large trucks had been barred from Krakow, Ciarka said, after a 19-ton truck was driven into a celebration in Nice, France, July 15.

Security fears are high in Europe in the wake of the Nice outrage and a spate of Islamist-linked attacks in neighboring Germany, as well as the July 26 killing of French Father Jacques Hamel, 84, during an attack during a Mass at Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, France. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that attack.

Polish police said they had arrested a 48-year-old Iraqi man July 24 in Krakow, after explosive traces were found in his luggage and his clothes, as well as at hotels where he had stayed in Krakow and Lodz.

However, a Krakow prosecutor told journalists there were no grounds for charging the man with terrorism and said not enough explosive material had been detected to cause an explosion.

Ciarka said July 26 that 200 people had so far been barred from entering the country.

The police spokesman said drones and "unauthorized flying objects" had also been banned over a 65-mile zone around Krakow, as well as over the nearby city of Czestochowa, where Pope Francis will celebrate an open-air Mass July 29.

The carrying of arms and dangerous substances had also been outlawed, Ciarka added, as well as any objects normally not permitted aboard planes.

"From today, all movements are being limited around Krakow, as well as at Blonia and the Lagiewniki suburb, where pedestrians will have total priority," the police official said. "The Polish government has given the police the task of serving society by ensuring this huge event passes off safely, and that's what we will do."

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