SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - Pope Benedict XVI took a new hi-tech road to spreading his message Tuesday, sending a mobile phone text to pilgrims attending World Youth Day celebrations in Australia, organisers said.

"Young friend, God and his people expect much from u because u have within you the Fathers supreme gift: the Spirit of Jesus - BXVI," read the first of the daily texts.

Local telecom giant Telstra has erected eight extra base stations in Sydney to cater for hundreds of thousands of young Catholics from around the world, who need simply text the word Pope to a special number to receive the messages.

Four giant screens have also been set up at major festival venues around the city, including the iconic Sydney Opera House, and pilgrims who sign up will be able to send a message to the digital "prayer walls".

A different message of inspiration from the pope would be sent by SMS each day, Telstra said, in what is believed to be the first time the pope has used mobile phone texting to spread the gospel.

The World Youth Day celebration has been held in different cities around the globe since 1986 in an attempt to rejuvenate the Catholic church.

An opening mass was due to be said by the leader of Australia's Catholics, Cardinal George Pell later Tuesday.

A papal mass expected to draw up to 500,000 people will close the celebration on Sunday at Randwick Racecourse, where another giant "prayer wall" has been erected.

"We wanted to make WYD08 a unique experience by using new ways to connect with today's tech-savvy youth," said event coordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher. --AFP