Youth pilgrimage gets under way

A massive Roman Catholic youth celebration has begun in Sydney with an Australian G’Day and a welcoming text message from Pope Benedict XVI to the tens of thousands of pilgrims who have travelled from around the world.

As the clock struck midnight, a giant countdown clock ticked over to read G’Day Pilgrims, drawing cheers from flag-waving youth who had gathered at St Mary’s Cathedral to mark the start of the six-day celebration.

Organisers say nearly 250,000 people have registered for World Youth Day, more than half of them from overseas.

The first official activity of the week was a pilgrimage to the cathedral this morning.

In the afternoon, the archbishop of Sydney was to lead an opening Mass.