Entrusted to the youth of the world by the beloved Pope John Paul II, as a symbol of "Christ's love for humanity", the large 3.8 metre-high wooden World Youth Day Cross has been pilgrimaging around the world since 1984. It has travelled to many significant communities and locations, including behind the "Iron Curtain" to Soviet-occupied Prague in 1985, to "Ground Zero" in New York after tragedies of September 11 and to the Genocide Memorial in Rwanda as symbols of forgiveness and hope. The accompaning 1.5 kilogram Icon of Jesus and His Mother Mary, Salus Populi Romani, reminds us of the Virgin Mary's maternal love for God's children.

Since Palm Sunday 2006, when the youth of Germany handed the Cross and Icon of Mary to care of the youth of Australia, the Cross and Icon have travelled through Africa and brought hope to some of the world's poorest communities. In early 2007, the Journey of the Cross and Icon (JCI) pilgrimaged through Oceania, passing through many of our Pacific neighbours such as East Timor, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands (days after an earthquake and tsunami hit the Diocese of Gizo) and New Zealand.

On Sunday, 1 July 2007, the Cross and Icon arrived on Australian soil to begin the final leg of their pilgrimage towards WYD08. A reception attended by Archbishops, Bishops, the Premier of NSW and the Prime Minister of Australia welcomed the Cross and Icon as it was brought off a QANTAS Boeing 767 in a hangar at Sydney Airport. There, a delegation of young New Zealanders offically handed over the sacred symbols to a delegation of young Australians, including a representative of the Military Diocese of Australia, to begin the year-long journey of Christ's love around Australia.

Throughout their pilgrimage around Australia, since 1 July 2008, the WYD Cross and Icon have engaged various Australian Defence Force communities around the continent, bringing Christ's love for humanity to Australia's servicemen and women:

South-East Queensland - A 'Stations of the Cross' ceremony was hosted by the Military Diocese at Kokoda Barracks, Canungra - Monday, 20 August 2007  (more details)

Townsville - Commemorative ceremonies was hosted by the Diocese of Townsville and supported by soldiers of Lavarack Barracks - Sunday, 16 September 2007  (more details)

Great Barrier Reef - The Diocese of Cairns hosted a ceremony, off Fitzroy Island, onboard the Royal Australian Navy's HMAS Broome - Saturday, 22 September 2007  (more details)

Darwin - The Military Diocese has celebrated Mass at the Robertson Barracks chapel - Sunday, 30 September 2007  
(more details)

South Australia - A prayer liturgy was held by the Military Diocese at a war memorial on RAAF Base Edinburgh, near Adelaide - Thursday, 15 November 2007 (more details)

Sydney - Prayers, a Rosary Procession, Testimonies and Holy Mass was celebrated by the Military Diocese at the Garden Island Naval Base - Easter Monday, 24 March 2008   (more details)

Victoria (ANZAC Day) - Cross and Icon were present at an Anzac Day Remembrance Mass celebrated at Our Lady Star of the Sea Chapel at HMAS Cerberus - Anzac Day, 25 April 2008   (more details)