CNS STORY: No weekly general audience, but pope blesses crowd from his window

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CNS Story:

POPE-AUDIENCE Mar-23-2005 (560 words) With photos. xxxi

No weekly general audience, but pope blesses crowd from his window

By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Even though the Vatican announced Pope John Paul II's March 23 general audience was canceled, the pilgrims came anyway and were rewarded with a brief appearance by the pope.

In the hopes of seeing the pope, large groups from Poland, Spain, Mexico and Italy staked themselves out in St. Peter's Square early March 23, unfurled their banners, waved their flags, and sang hymns in their respective languages.

"They should let him rest; he's sick," said Thomas Keene of Dallas. "But I suppose he'd want to be with the people anyway."

A few minutes later, a written announcement in Italian flashed onto four large video screens installed before Holy Week in the square: "The Holy Father will come to his studio window at 11:00 to bless the faithful."

As the news spread, the crowd in the square slowly grew.

"I have about 20 rosaries in my bag for him to bless so I can take them back to my friends," said Debby Johnson of Pittsburg, Kan.

"I'm not even Catholic, but he is an icon. He's done so much and he's for the people, the common people," she said.

A huge roar of applause and cheers rose up when the fifth-floor window of the pope's residence opened a few minutes before 11 a.m., but it was a false alarm: It was the pope's valet and assistant secretary who poked their heads out to hang the red papal tapestry outside the window.

The singing and chanting grew stronger as the people waited. Then at 11:13 a.m., the curtains parted, the pope appeared and, looking determined, blessed the crowd.

His appearance lasted less than a minute, but it was enough to move many to tears.

"I am so moved. I can hardly talk," said Anna Alegros of Chicago. "It's my first time in Rome and the first time I ever saw the pope," she said.

Chicago resident Adele O'Sullivan said, "We're so happy to see him because we don't know if this will be the last chance we have. We waited a long time here in the piazza, but it was worth it."

For the first time in his pontificate, Pope John Paul was skipping most Holy Week and Easter activities. He was still convalescing from a Feb. 24 tracheotomy he underwent to ease breathing difficulties brought on by the flu.

The only scheduled event for the pope was the Easter papal blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city of Rome and the world).

As previously announced March 8 by the Vatican, a series of cardinals was standing in for the pope in the celebration of Holy Week and Easter events.

Still, despite the reduced chances of seeing the Holy Father because of the cancellation of his March 23 general audience, pilgrims were still hopeful and flocked to St. Peter's Square.

"We weren't expecting him at all, but I'm so glad he came. We've only ever seen him on television," said Kathleen Borba of San Francisco.

"He's the closest tangible person to God that we have," she said.

Her son, James Borba, said, "I've never experienced anything like this. People were crying when he appeared."

"It shows how deeply rooted people are to him. He's been a great leader doing so much good," he said.

END

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