With just one year to go before 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul, its official theme song has been unveiled: Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum, or “Take courage! I have overcome the world”. Source: Vatican News.
The hymn will set the tone for this upcoming international gathering of Catholic youth, who will gather in Seoul from August 3 to 8, 2027.
Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum takes up the theme chosen for WYD 2027: “Take courage! I have overcome the world,” a verse from John’s Gospel (16:33).
An international hymn, the song is performed in several languages, including Korean, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.
The song opens with this invitation: “Come follow me, sleeping heart, wake up and walk”. Two versions have been recorded, the first in a more classical style, featuring a choir and orchestra, while the second is a remixed pop version.
One aim of this song is to offer a foretaste of the event. Above all, however, it will serve as the permanent soundtrack for participants as they prepare for the gathering.
Each World Youth Day has its corresponding melody, carrying with it a wealth of memories for the participants.
The hymn is the result of an open contest to create an original composition based on the WYD27 theme. The initiative was a success, drawing 434 submissions, including 294 from abroad. The selected song was then submitted for approval to the Holy See’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.
The theme song was composed by Korean musician Francis Jiyoon Kim, who gave it the flavour of his country and culture. Sung largely in Korean, the vocals blend with local traditional instruments in a contemporary arrangement.
The music video showcases the landscapes and iconic sights of Seoul, offering a first glimpse of what awaits participants next year.
More than 30 years after Manila in 1995, this WYD will be only the second held in Asia.
It marks the first time the event has been hosted in a country where Catholics are a minority. In South Korea, Catholics represent about 12 per cent of the population, in a society marked by significant religious pluralism.
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Organisers unveil hymn for Seoul WYD (By Cécile Mérieux, Vatican News)
