Peter Chung Soon-taick, the archbishop of Seoul, gives a briefing on the 2027 World Youth Day, which will be held in Seoul, during a press conference at the Archdiocese of Seoul, Aug. 22. Yonhap



The 2027 World Youth Day will utilize home stays, churches and schools in Seoul to accommodate young Catholics who will gather for the global event, the archbishop of Seoul said Tuesday.



Seoul has been chosen as the host city for the next World Youth Day, becoming the second Asian host following the Philippines in 1995.



Peter Chung Soon-taick estimated up to 800,000 pilgrims are expected to attend the closing Mass, saying the organizing committee will arrange accommodations in various forms across the capital city.



"In addition to home stays, we will make use of retreat houses and education centers in cathedrals. We will also use school auditoriums and classrooms for sleeping arrangements," Chung said during a press conference held at the Archdiocese of Seoul.



For the closing Mass of the event, which is expected to draw the largest number of people, the attendees could camp out or stay in temporary housing, Chung added.



With the gathering scheduled for August 2027, Chung said various factors, including potential heat waves and typhoons, as well as vacation periods, will be taken into consideration when determining the detailed schedule of the event.



The exact schedule and location of the closing Mass will be determined through consultations with the Vatican.



First held in 1985, World Youth Day brings together young Catholics from around the world in celebration of their faith.



The closing Mass in Manila in 1995 was the largest recorded gathering of people at a religious event in history, with over 5 million attendees. More than 2 million pilgrims were estimated to have visited this year's World Youth Day in Lisbon, which ended earlier this month. (Yonhap)

