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The Antilles Episcopal Conference Youth Assembly (AECYA) will be held in the Archdiocese of Castries, St Lucia July 17–28, 2025.
In a release dated February 1, the AEC Commission on Youth & Vocation, Kingston Chancery Office said it is “most elated” to have the opportunity to facilitate the meeting of youth and young adults of the Antilles, especially in the Jubilee Year 2025.
A Jubilee Year is a special celebration held by the Church on a 25-year cycle. The Jubilee is highlighted by events focused on renewing and enhancing one’s personal spiritual life by confessing sins that offend God and neighbour, going on pilgrimages to holy sites or attending sacred experiences, and participation in special Masses and Devotions.
During the Jubilee Year, the Archdiocese of Castries will welcome approximately 400 pilgrims from across the region. They will participate in catechetical sessions, experience cultural exchange, and celebrate their Catholic faith through the Word of God and the Sacraments.
The main theme for the Youth Assembly is Pilgrims of Hope which is the World Youth Day theme for 2025. The last Youth Assembly was held in the Archdiocese of Fort de France in 2018. AECYA 2021, which was scheduled to be held in the Diocese of Roseau, Dominica was cancelled because of challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Youth Assembly is an occasion aimed at reaffirming the Catholic identity of youth and young adults who are indispensable partners enabling the mission of the Catholic Church in the region, living their call to be disciples.
The Assembly is an opportunity for the synodal encounter among youth and young adults of the Antilles to build communion, listen to the Holy Spirit, interpret their reality, and formulate from their perspective, the mission of the Caribbean Church. —KJ
