WYD 2016 theme song has more than 3.6 million page views

The song was written by Jakub Blycharz, a lawyer, author of liturgical music and an active member of a Krakow Christian community. His composition was selected in a competition from among 94 works submitted to the WYD Committee.

The theme song was used during WYD events, including in liturgy, as well as shown and adapted in different media.

The criteria used by the committee which evaluated the submitted works included, besides artistic value, the ease with which the music and lyrics could be adapted to other languages. There were no restrictions with regard to genre.

"Blessed are the merciful" is the second WYD theme song authored by a Pole. The first, "Abba, Father" was written for WYD Czestochowa in 1991 by Father Jan Gora, OP, and remains very popular today. (PAP).