Rapping priest and Catholic pilgrims party in Sydney

|PIC1|A rapping priest from New York's Bronx entertained thousands of young pilgrims at Bondi Beach on Wednesday, while acid jazz and Gregorian Chant filled Sydney's Opera House on day two of the Catholic Church's "Woodstock".

More than 200,000 young Catholics in Sydney for World Youth Day, July 15-20, held 250 pray ceremonies in parks and streets around the city and attended music concerts, as they eagerly awaited the first appearance of Pope Benedict on Thursday.

The Pope, who has been resting since arriving in Sydney on Sunday, held morning mass in his retreat and was then introduced to an array of Australian animals.

After a brief description of each animal and its habitat the pontiff patted the animals: a baby kangaroo called a joey, a koala, an echidna, a carpet python, a blue tongue lizard, a frill-neck lizard and a tiny crocodile.

World Youth Day was the brainchild of the late Pope John Paul II who thought a festival which included not only masses and religious events like the stations of the cross, but also music and dance concerts would revitalise the world's Catholic youth.

After 150,000 pilgrims attended WYD's opening mass and late night rock concert on the shores of Sydney Harbour on Tuesday, thousands spread out across Sydney on Wednesday to not only to pray but to continue partying.

"I went to bed late last night and didn't eat enough breakfast," said Australian pilgrim Sam Merryfull, 17, as he rested on a wooden bench. A nun gave him fruit and water.

"The opening mass was great, so many cultures coming together," Merryfull told local media.

More than 165 outdoor concerts will be staged, from religious music to heavy metal, acid jazz and rap.

Some 3,000 pilgrims gathered at Bondi Beach on Wednesday for the "Come to the Water" concert organised by the Franciscans, with the headline act rapping priest Father Stan Fortuna.

On Wednesday night, Italian Christian heavy metal band Metatrone were scheduled to perform in a city park.

But unlike Woodstock on Max Yasgur's farm outside New York in 1969, pilgrims will not go hungry or sleep out in the rain.

Thousands of young Catholics, nuns and priests on Wednesday attended "Aussie BBQs" in schools, churches and homes.

Organisers have prepared 3.5 million meals, 2 million bread rolls, 2.7 million cakes, 1.3 million pieces of fruit and 2.5 million cans of mineral water for pilgrims.

With several masses to attend, 300 kg of flour has been used to make one million Hosts, the wafer consecrated in the celebration of the Eucharist.

Pilgrims will stage an all-night vigil on Saturday at the city's main horse racing track ahead of the final mass by Pope Benedict on Sunday, but for most of WYD they will have a roof over their heads in case Sydney's winter turns nasty.

Around 100,000 are sleeping in 400 churches and school halls, 40,000 in family homes, 10,000 in Sydney's Olympic Park and the rest in paid accommodation.

On Thursday, Pope Benedict will meet Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd before travelling by boat across Sydney Harbour to greet young pilgrims and then travel in his Popemobile through the city's central business district.

Police have launched an Olympic-style security operation for the papal visit, with 300 streets closed and more than 350 "declared zones" where cars and people can be searched.

Sydney's main business thoroughfare, George Street, will be closed to traffic all week, allowing thousands of hymn-singing pilgrims to wander through the city freely.

"The only car we want to see in the city tomorrow is a Popemobile," WYD spokeswoman Kristina Keneally told a news conference. "So if your car is not a Popemobile leave it at home, the Pope wants to see you, not your car."