This little item may be a shock to many who watched the drama of World Youth Day unfold last summer.

From a paper in Australia:

World Youth Day was hailed for reigniting youthful passion in the Catholic Church, but the young woman who embodied the spirit of the event in the key role of Mary has now defected to the evangelical congregation of rival church Hillsong.

Marina Dickson, 27, moved the faithful to tears as she cradled Jesus in her arms after he had stumbled barefoot through the 14 Stations of the Cross in front of Pope Benedict in Sydney last year.

But now the Chilean-born beauty therapist has been called to worship at a more evangelical church.

“I think it’s important you are where God wants you to be and I feel Hillsong is where I am called to be and I am so happy to be there,” she said.

Chehade Richa, 18, who played Judas in the re-enactment, stopped short of calling Ms Dickson’s move a betrayal but said: “It is very surprising. We were meant to embody Catholic youth but I guess if that’s where she finds her spirituality then that’s OK. It’s not a betrayal — Hillsong still believes in Jesus and his core teachings.”

Ms Dickson was worshipping at St Mary’s By The Sea Catholic Church in Milton on the NSW south coast when she auditioned for the role of Mary last year. At the time she said she was honoured to be chosen as the “beautiful and loyal woman of God”.

The Stations of the Cross theatrical recreation of Christ’s final hours was watched by 500 million television viewers around the world and was hailed as one of the most moving renditions ever.

Afterwards, Youth Day co-ordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher said: “We would hope that there will be renewed life and energy and enthusiasm in every corner of the church. Not just youth ministry, which is clearly going to be bigger than ever before.”

But it was not enough to hold the loyalty of the woman who symbolised the love of Christ for millions on World Youth Day. “I have only good things to say about the Catholic Church, but for me I have this hunger for God. I wanted to learn more about the Bible and have a deeper relationship with God,” said Ms Dickson from the Sydney suburb of Pennant Hills.

“Hillsong is more about having a relationship with God. It’s a lifestyle, not just somewhere to go on a Sunday. I love it. It is like I fell in love with God all over again.”

Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell said: “If this is true and Marina decides to formally leave the church, that would be a surprise. It would also be a great sadness, but at least she is not leaving Jesus Christ.”

Alfio Stuto jnr, who played Jesus for the Stations of the Cross, was keen that Ms Dickson not be judged for changing churches. “Who is anyone to judge what others do? Let those without sin cast the first stone,” he said.

You can see some of the WYD Stations of the Cross — with brief interviews with the actors playing Jesus and Mary — at this report from Australian TV broadcast last summer