Pope Eager for World Youth Day

Pope Benedict, comfortable with technology, sent another text to the Young Pilgrims: "the Holy Spirit gave the Apostles & gives u the power boldly 2 proclaim that Christ is risen! - BXVI".

SYDNEY, Australia (Zenit) - Benedict XVI is rested and ready to preside at the World Youth Day events this week in Sydney, says a Vatican Spokesman.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi told a press conference today that the Pope is well rested, and that the objective of the three days of rest in the center has been achieved.

The Pontiff left the Kenthurst Study Center in Sydney where he spent the first days of his trip to Australia resting.

From the center the Pope was taken by car to St. Mary's Cathedral House in Sydney, his residence until the end of his apostolic visit, which officially begins tomorrow with the welcoming ceremony at the Government House.

The Holy Father will preside over the events of World Youth Day in Sydney this week. The international gathering will culminate Sunday with an open-air Mass at Randwick Racecourse.

Before leaving the Kenthurst center, the Pontiff thanked the directors and staff with a farewell gift of a replica of the mosaic "Mater Ecclesiae." He also blessed the cornerstone of the Kenthurst youth center.

"The Pope has been very happy in this center. He has been very well," said Father Lombardi.

Before leaving the center, Benedict XVI sent out his daily text message: "the Holy Spirit gave the Apostles & gives u the power boldly 2 proclaim that Christ is risen! - BXVI"

Barbecue

Around Sydney, pilgrims got a real Australian treat with the Big Aussie Barbecue. Taking place in over 200 venues, over 220,000 slices of Tip Top "Daily Bread" were served with sausages and tomato sauce.

World Youth Day ambassador Jared Crouch grabbed the tongs today and served up sausages to pilgrims at the University of Notre Dame, Broadway.

If all the 220,000 slices of bread were lined up end to end they would cross the Sydney Harbor Bridge 21 times.

Tomorrow will be "Super Holy Thursday," when the Pope will visit the shrine of Mary MacKillop and then travel down Sydney harbor on a Boat-a-cade, before being welcomed at Barangaroo.

His last event will be an official motorcade from Barangaroo to St. Mary's Cathedral House.