Global Operations: Operation TESTAMENT
27 May 2008
HMAS Broome at Cairns
Operation TESTAMENT is the name of the Australian Defence Force contribution to World Youth Day 2008, which Sydney will be hosting in July this year.
World Youth Day is the largest youth event in the world and attracts young people from around the globe to build bridges of friendship and hope between continents, peoples and cultures.
Op TESTAMENT will include ADF personnel drawn from all three Services. They will be providing the logistics for an international ‘Military Pilgrims’ program, as well as providing security in support of the NSW Police Force thoughout the entire World Youth Day '08 celebrations.
ADF ‘Military Pilgrims’ will also play an important role as hosts to the international military pilgrims who travel to Sydney to participate.
The ‘Military Pilgrims’ will attend celebrations that could attract hundreds of thousands of people at Randwick Racecourse and around the Sydney CBD.
As a lead up to the day, a large cross and an icon of the Virgin Mary arrived in Sydney on 1 Jul 07 and have been carried throughout Australia from diocese to diocese, and parish to parish, to enable the various Catholic and Christian communities to prepare spiritually for World Youth Day
The Australian Catholic Military Diocese has hosted the Cross and Icon at various ADF establishments throughout Australia.
At the end of the week-long youth festival, Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate Mass at Randwick Racecourse on Sunday 20 Jul 08. It will be his first visit to Sydney. ADF and overseas military pilgrims will be present.
| 20070922ran8099864_004 The World Youth Day Cross on the forecastle of HMAS BROOME, whilst alongside Trinity Wharf Cairns, QLD, for the World Youth Day Cross and Icon Service. Commanding Officer HMAS BROOME Lieutenant Commander Aaron Nye, Deacon Matt Ranson, Brother Michael Callinan, Father Chris Ryan, MGL, and Commanding Officer HMAS WOOLLONGONG Lieutenant Commander Andrew Hawke. (Date taken: 22 September 2007) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20070922ran8099864_034 A view of the forecastle of HMAS BROOME, during the World Youth Day Cross and Icon service held on the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns, Queensland. (Date taken: 22 September 2007) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20070922ran8099864_056 A view of the forecastle of HMAS BROOME, during the World Youth Day Cross and Icon service held on the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns, Queensland. (Date taken: 22 September 2007) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20070922ran8099864_081 The World Youth Day Cross and Icon on the forcastle of HMAS BROOME, during the World Youth Cross Service held on the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns, Queensland. (Date taken: 22 September 2007) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20070922ran8099864_086 Chaplain Edward Renfrey, conducting a reading during the World Youth Day Cross and Icon Service on the forecastle of HMAS BROOME, held on the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns, Queensland. (Date taken: 22 September 2007) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20070922ran8099864_097 Lieutenant Ivan Yau conducting a reading during the World Youth Day Cross and Icon Service held on the forecastle of HMAS BROOME, at the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns, Queensland. (Date taken: 22 September 2007) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20070922ran8099864_142 The World Youth Day Cross touching the Great Barrier Reef during the World Youth Day Cross and Icon Service held on the quarter deck of HMA BROOME off Cairns, Queensland. (Date taken: 22 September 2007) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20070922ran8099864_146 The World Youth Day Cross touching the Great Barrier Reef during the World Youth Day Cross and Icon Service held on the quarter deck of HMA BROOME off Cairns, Queensland. (Date taken: 22 September 2007) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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