Papal liturgy 'breath-taking'

"Bon giorno!" people called in greeting a Regina Tours representative enthusiastically, practicing their new Italian vocabulary. Several pilgrims remarked that they had been re-energized by a good night's sleep, and the group boarded buses for St. Peter's Square amid a babble of conversation.

"Do they take up a collection at this Mass?" joked Rev. Donald Manfred of Messina as the bus pulled away.

Impressive sight

The bus passed through the Renaissance area of Rome and dropped off the group for the walk to St. Peter's Square. As the pilgrims came in sight of the massive courtyard -- already filling with thousands of visitors from around the world -- Peg Edwards of Holy Spirit parish in East Greenbush told The Evangelist, "I can't believe we're here. Now I know why kids say `awesome' -- this is awesome!"

Positive remarks

* "Breathtaking," said Evelyn Lebertore of St. Bernard's parish in Cohoes.

* "I'm amazed. This is beautiful," said Lee Sliva of St. Stanislaus, Amsterdam.

* "This is gorgeous. It's going to outdo our Sunday Mass!" said Maria St. John of Albany.

* "It's overwhelming," Flora Aiello of St. Catherine of Siena parish, Albany, stated. "You can quote me on that."

Colorful day

At 9:45 a.m., an announcement in Italian that the Mass was about to start brought the entire crowd to its feet, waving Jubilee Year scarves given out on the way into St. Peter's Square.

A hush fell over 100,000 people, followed by spontaneous applause when the Pope walked out onto the altar. Mass-goers applauded his every move, from taking off his miter to waving at the crowd.

Mass began with a lengthy speech in Italian by a cardinal about World Mission Sunday. Later, Florence Restifo of Glenville, who speaks some Italian, said that she'd understood "every other word. I couldn't put the words together."

Mission Sunday

Beatrice McManus of St. Catherine of Siena parish in Albany opined that Pope John Paul "looked well, compared to some other times," but the aging Pope appeared pained, with his words slurred and his hand shaking as he supported himself with his crosier.

Speaking about Mission Sunday, the Pope noted in English that "all Christ's followers are called to mission. I ask you, therefore, to continue to support the missions...through your prayers."

Excitement in crowd

At Communion time, pilgrims crowded close to either end of the rows of seats to receive the Eucharist from one of hundreds of priests.

"I love it!" boasted Rosetta Burke of St. John the Baptist parish, Schenectady, afterward. "I got the host, and I just sat down and cried; it was such a beautiful thing. I'm so blessed to be here."

"Incredible," agreed her traveling companion, Bernice Simmons of the Bronx.

Popemobile

"The Pope came right by us in his Popemobile!" Sister Mary Ellen Putnam, CSJ, of St. Joseph's Provincial House in Latham, exclaimed afterward.

People near the middle aisle, however, would be disappointed: The Popemobile circled the edges but did not travel up the middle of the crowd. When some pilgrims "booed," Rick DiCresce of Scotia, objected: "You can't `boo' the Pope!"

Thrilled

Bill Manfred of St. Henry's parish in Averill Park said he was struck by a thought at the Mass: "When we go to church where we go to church, it's just us. Here, it's the whole world."

Dave Oxford, The Evangelist's photographer, had his own excitement during the papal Mass. Vatican press credentials allowed him to get a close-up view of the Pope: "I was up on the altar for a while!" he said enthusiastically.

Vatican staff also brought him up a passageway so narrow that he had to remove the cameras from around his neck to squeeze through and gave him a spot on the roof of the Vatican from which to photograph the scene.

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