Cross starts 15-day walk to city

JENNA THOMPSON

PILGRIMS flocked to St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in Wollongong yesterday to witness the starting point of the final 15-day passage for symbols of the World’s largest event.

Made of Italian Fir, the giant cross, along with an image of Mary and the Baby Jesus, has travelled throughout Australia for the past 12 months as part of a special pilgrimage to Sydney’s World Youth Day, which starts next week.

Bernadette Toohey, from Adelaide, who had been walking for the past five months with the holy symbols, said she was excited to be a part of the cross making its journey.

“The cross has been to so many communities and brought a piece of World Youth Day to so many people who might not come to Sydney,” she said.

Bishop Peter Ingham said a tremendous event such as this gave people “a chance to learn from one another and form new friendships”.

About 2000 pilgrims will be based across the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands from July 10 to 14, with 7000 visitors expected to visit Wollongong for the local WYD festivities, which will be the largest number of visitors at any one time in the history of the region.

Tourism Wollongong general manager Greg Binskin said there would be a huge impact on tourism expenditure of $3 to $4 million.

“That’s what these big events do and that’s why they’re so exciting, because there is also the flow-on effect for supplies, so it’s a really key economic driver for the area,” he said.