The XX. World Youth Day in Cologne (Italian XX. Giornata mondiale della gioventù Colonia GMG) was a Catholic youth gathering, which took place from 16 to 21 August 2005 at the Archbishopric of Cologne.
The Pope invited the youth of the world for the twentieth World Youth Day (WYD) to Germany. The motto of the Gospel of Matthew was:
We have come to worship Him (Mt 2,2 EU).
This sentence is attributed to the Magi whose relics are kept in Epiphany Shrine of Cologne Cathedral.
At World Youth Day attended by the organizers in addition to 800,000 registered pilgrims from 193 countries and 759 bishops, including 60 cardinals, and 10,000 priests in part. In addition, 7700 journalists were accredited. The number of participants rose at the closing Mass to 1.1 million. In order for the closing Mass of World Youth Day was the then largest ever celebrated Mass in Germany.