Motivation of Participation in World Youth Days in Cracow and Its Impact on Religious and Social Life on the Example of Pilgrims from the Archdiocese Of Warmia

Agnieszka Zduniak

Katedra Socjologii, Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie, ul. ks. Feliksa Szrajbera 11, 10-007 Olsztyn
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5349-7469

Abstract

This article presents the results of empirical research of participants of World Youth Day in Cracow (2016). The study included respondents from the Archdiocese of Warmia and focused on the motivation to participate in the event and its impact on the biographies of participants. Three motivational groups were identified in the study: religious, community, and entertainment motivations. In the opinion of respondents who completed the questionnaires religious motives played a major role. But in the interviews the community experience was particularly emphasized. In both quantitative and qualitative research, the entertainment dimension has the least importance. One can suppose that the religious events such as World Youth Day affects young people not with emotion and entertainment, as is often assumed, but providing them with the opportunity to authentic religious and community experience.

Keywords:

World Youth Day, religious event, motivations, youth religiosity