Some 11,000 Catholic faithful —both young and old— were singing and dancing to religious songs in the open parking lot behind the Ateneo Blue Eagles Gym in Quezon City on Saturday when heavy rain started to pour. And just when you thought it was the end to all the festivity with devotees dashing for cover, quite the opposite happened: the more the rains fell, the more the participants of this year's local World Youth Day celebration burst forth in song and dance. "Thank you Lord for the rain!," the program's emcee bellowed, as the participants —coming from as far away as Cebu— yelled at the top of their lungs. The emcee asked the jubilant crowd, "Are you happy that it's raining?" to which they responded with a resounding collective "Yes!"
Participants of the 2011 World Youth Day local celebration in Quezon City sing and dance in the rain. Mark D. Merueñas
Unmindful of the downpour, the crowd —most of them soaking wet despite their colorful umbrellas— twirled and swayed to the music, gamely participating in the activities, including doing what they called the "World Youth Day Dance": three stomps, three claps, a circular wave of the arms, ending with hands raised while shouting '"World Youth Day!" And the adulation for the rains was simply unanimous. "The rain! It was awesome!" said third year high school student Chantal Balinbin of the Mater Dei Academy in Tagaytay, when asked by GMA News Online which part of the celebration she enjoyed so far. Balinbin, along with more than a dozen schoolmates, traveled all the way from Cavite to Metro Manila accompanied by their principal and teachers, all of whom are nuns, just to get a feel of the two-day vigil for the World Youth Day. They will be staking out inside the Ateneo grounds until the end of the celebrations on Sunday morning. Sister Anabelle Pring, a member of the Quezon City-based religious congregation Sister Handmaids of Charity of St. Vincent of Paul, admitted being surprised with the participants positive reaction to the weather. "
Kahit ganoon ang panahon, nag-participate pa rin sila. This is the spirit of the World Youth Day... The spirit of unity
kahit hindi kami magkakakilala," she said. Pring and Balinbin, just like everyone else in the crowd, seemed to share the same outlook at today's weather, considering the rains a "blessing." "There is an Italian saying, Esposa banata, esposa fortunata, which loosely means a wife soaking wet is a lucky wife." Pring said this year's celebration could not have come at a more perfect time, especially since she admitted that the youth nowadays are no longer as active as before. "That's why we are participating now. We want to strengthen the faith of the youth once more, remembering what Blessed John Paul II said that the youth is the hope of the world," Pring said. And Pring was not the only one paying tribute to the late Poland-born pope. On cue, everyone stood up and sang, 'Tell the World of His Love," the anthem of the 1995 World Youth Day in Manila that was officiated by no less than John Paul II himself. But aside from chanting religious songs and leaping through dances, Pring said today's celebration takes on another, more solemn meaning for her. "The mere prayers and silence, sharing activities with others and meeting new friends are also what matter here." Fourth year high school student David Benol said: "
Nandito kami para malaman kung paano namin maa-apply ang mga teachings ng Catholicism." Staying true to their long-held faith, Benol said he and his classmates made it a point to say a prayer inside their bus while on their way to the venue. "
Sabi naman sa prayer na maging safe sana ang biyahe namin at ang celebration dito," he said. And so far, Benol's prayer seemed to have been answered. Edgar Bula, an ADMU security personnel, said there was no report of untoward incidents on Day 1 of the World Youth Day celebration. "
Peaceful na peaceful naman. At sana ganun na hanggang bukas," Benol said. He said around 100 ADMU security personnel are securing the venue, while 100 more volunteers and more than 90 police officers are likewise on stand by. The local Wolrd Youth Day celebration was staged as an extension of the main celebration of the 26th World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain.
— TJD, GMA News 
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