After a week-long celebration throughout Sydney, local World Youth Day organisers werethrilled with a final mass attendance of more 400,000 people at Randwick Racecourse.

Chief operating officer Danny Casey said World Youth Day in Sydney has been a success for the host city and the Catholic Church in Australia.

This was certainly the largest Catholic Mass ever celebrated in our country.

After over 200,000 pilgrims slept overnight at the venue following the WYD08 Evening Vigil, hundreds of thousands arrived on Sundy for the final official activity on the WYD08 program.

Referring to Australia as the "Great South Land of the Holy Spirit", His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI enthusiastically waved and greeted pilgrims as he made his way through the giant crowd before the commencement of the Mass.

As well as celebrating with those in attendance, His Holiness also thanked Sydney for hosting the week-long festivities before announcing Madrid as the next host city for World Youth Day in 2011.

Final Mass - Liturgy Guide

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