PHILADELPHIA, July 20, 2016—Next week, some 2 million young Catholics will make their way to Krakow, Poland, from all corners of the globe for World Youth Day; of those, 40,000 will be Americans. The July 25 – 31 event, which happens every two to three years, offers attendees (known as pilgrims) the opportunity to connect with one another while being spiritually challenged and encouraged in their faith.

Many Catholic young adults remaining stateside will be tracking events from afar through a new app developed by American Bible Society in partnership with the World Youth Day USA office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The free app, Pilgrimage, was designed to connect students with one another digitally, while providing meaningful resources to help them engage with Scripture. The app will also provide 360-degree videos of events taking place in Krakow next week. For those in attendance, the app will provide useful content such as daily Scripture readings to enhance their experience of the event and opportunities to continue relationships with fellow pilgrims after the event ends.

“The pilgrims attending World Youth Day in Krakow will have the incredible opportunity to journey, celebrate and pray alongside millions of Catholic young adults from around the world,” said Paul Jarzembowski, the World Youth Day USA national coordinator. “But we don’t want to limit the experience only to those who can make the trip to Poland. We are thrilled to provide a way for those at home to be a part of the event and to connect those on-site in a way that will deepen their World Youth Day experience. Ultimately, we hope World Youth Day will be just the beginning of their next adventure and their ongoing journey of faith, as well as the connections they will make in an online community supported by the Pilgrimage app.”

“At American Bible Society, we are always looking for opportunities to help people dive into and get more out of God’s Word,” said Zach Hunter, American Bible Society’s manager of product design and development. “It is a privilege to provide a new way for Catholic youth to experience the life-changing message of the Bible, especially during a week that is sure to be a pivotal part of their faith journey. We hope this app will continue to encourage users to regularly read the Bible long after World Youth Day concludes.”

About American Bible Society

Since 1816, American Bible Society has worked to make the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford, so all people may experience its life-changing message. One of the nation’s first and most enduring ministries, today’s American Bible Society provides resources across a variety of platforms enabling first-time readers and seasoned theologians alike to engage with the best-selling book of all time. For more information, visit www.American.Bible.