The biggest event of World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney was the Papal Mass held on July 20, local time, the last day of the six-day celebrations.

The Papal Mass took place at Royal Randwick Racecourse in the Southern Cross precinct which had been converted into a suitable Mass venue.

An estimated 400,000 worshippers attended the Mass officiated by Pope Benedict XVI on his first visit to Australia.

Large numbers of Mass-goers had slept overnight at Randwick after the Saturday Pilgrimage Walk.

Thousands more arrived on foot from Central Railway Station where trains started arriving from 4.30am. Large numbers of roads were closed to vehicular traffic on the route to Randwick racecourse.

Those who walked to Randwick but were unable to get into the racecourse due to over-capacity viewed the celebration of Mass at adjoining Centennial Park where large television screens broadcast the ceremony live.

Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, welcomed the Randwick Mass-goers at the start of the Catholic rite. Pope Benedict delivered the homily.

The Pope announced at the conclusion of Mass that the next international venue of World Youth Day would be Madrid, Spain, in 2011.

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Photo: Flags fly at the Papal Mass © WYD 2008