World Youth Day had less impact on the economy of the Lisbon conurbation than expected.
This is the result of a statement from the Central Bank of Portugal (BdP), without providing details. According to the country’s main financial institution, the economic slowdown in the capital was already visible during the Days in Dioceses organized in July.
According to the central bank, two weeks after the end of WYD, pilgrims’ spending was lower compared to the funds usually spent by tourists arriving in the Portuguese capital around the July-August transition.
According to information from trade associations, the decline occurred in both the hotel and catering industry and the hotel and catering industry. On the other hand, there was an increase in the food sector.
Experts quoted by SIC TV and the daily newspaper Dinheiro Vivo indicate that the slowdown of the Portuguese economy in Lisbon during World Youth Day is a normal phenomenon, as the benefits for the city of the event with the participation of more than 1 million pilgrims will only be visible are in a few months.
They note that although the purchasing power of pilgrims who reached Lisbon was lower than that of tourists, the media coverage of this event made it possible to popularize the Portuguese capital all over the world and give it new opportunities in the coming months and years. provide visitors.
Neocatechumenate after WYD: 3.5 thousand. young people want to go to a seminary or convent
After the end of World Youth Day (WYD), another extraordinary event took place in Lisbon – the meeting of the Neocatechumenal Way. 2,000 young men stood up and declared their willingness to go to seminary. In a similar way, 1.5 thousand. of women expressed their decision to join a nunnery. All in the presence of one of the founders of the movement – Kiko Argüello. And in an atmosphere of prayer for those who accept such a challenge.
During the service, the young people who declared themselves received a special blessing from Cardinal Manuel Clemente, Patriarch of Lisbon, who delivered the sermon earlier. The decision has a strong practical dimension – the people who make it will then take specific next steps. 3.5 thousand of the people who choose this path are, in a sense, some of the first fruits of WYD. Such a connection was also pointed out to Vatican Radio by the prefect of the Redemptoris Mater seminar in Warsaw, p. Pedro José Guzmán Ardila, quoted Tuesday by the Catholic News Agency.
Source: Do Rzeczy
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
