Pope to send texts on World Youth Day

While it's not a direct line to God, plans for the Pope to send text messages to young people during World Youth Day promise a religious experience of sorts.

In a World Youth Day first, Pope Benedict XVI will send daily text messages of hope and inspiration to young people during the Sydney event.

The plan will connect the Pope with 225,000 pilgrims that are expected to converge on Sydney as part of the six-day Catholic festival in July.

They also will be able to attend digital prayer walls at event sites.

World Youth Day coordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher said the idea behind the text service was to provide a unique experience by using new ways to connect with today's tech-savvy youth.

The text service will be provided by Telstra after the telco was today announced as the official telecommunications partner for the event.

Telstra also will provide voice, data, mobile, broadband and broadcast services for the event, as well as the digital prayer walls at event sites.

Telstra will connect 8,000 volunteers, 2,000 clergy, 3,000 media and an anticipated 225,000 pilgrims to more than 700 locations around Sydney.

Pope Benedict will arrive in Sydney on July 13, ahead of the official start of World Youth Day activities on July 15.

He will be officially welcomed to Sydney in a harbourside ceremony on July 17 and take part in World Youth Day events until July 20.