Mary and the Cross in the centre of the 2023 WYD Lisbon logo

The logo illustrates the theme “Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk, 1,39) chosen by Pope Francis. The passage is the theme of the WYD Lisbon 2023 and indicates that Mary was ready to live according to God’s will to serve Elizabeth. This highlights the call to young people to renew their vitality, dreams, enthusiasm, optimism and generosity (Christus Vivit 20).


Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The logo of the World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 was presented today; it highlights the theme Mary arose and went with haste (Lk, 1:39) chosen by Pope Francis.

The day of the presentation, Friday 16 October, was chosen to mark the election to the papacy of Saint John Paul II, founder of the international youth days.

The logo’s dominant element is the Cross, which is traversed by a road where the Holy Spirit rises. This is an invitation to young people not to stand still but play a major role in building a fairer and more fraternal world. The colours (green, red and yellow) evoke the Portuguese flag.

As the theme of WYD Lisbon 2023, the passage of the Visitation indicates that Mary was ready to live according to God's will, available to serve Elizabeth, urging young people to renew their vitality, dreams, enthusiasm, optimism and generosity (Christus Vivit 20).

The image of the Rosary celebrates the spirituality of the Portuguese people in their devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. Mary depicted as a young woman represents the figure of the Gospel of Saint Luke (Lk 1:39) in order to boost greater identification with the young.

The design expresses Mary’s youthful years, characteristic of someone who is not yet a mother, but carries already the light of the world in herself. The figure is slight inclined to show the enthusiastic attitude of the Virgin Mary.

Beatriz Roque Antunez, a young 24-year-old Portuguese designer, created the WYD Lisbon 2023 logo. After studying design in London, she currently works for a Lisbon communications agency.

For the designed, “As the passage, which is the theme of the WYD Lisbon 2023, says, Mary doesn’t stand still; instead, she decides to visit her cousin. That is the invitation to young people, not to stand still, not let things happen, [but] build the world, and not let it fall in someone else’s hands.”