It is about 11:10pm as I write this post, and the queue to venerate the body of Blessed John Paul II is as long as it was at 4:00pm! The whole city is alive with a sense of celebration and joy at the Beatification of Pope John Paul, which was enacted this morning at a Mass attended by close to one million people. Pope Benedict XVI presided at the Mass of Beatification, and spoke movingly of his predecessor - who was his friend as well as his colleague.
Unfortunately, I couldn't get into St Peter's Square itself for the Mass, but watched it on a big screen in one of the nearby piazzas. I guess, in a way, I attended the Beatification, though it felt as if I were miles away - I was actually just round the corner in the Piazza Del Risorgimento, which is probably the closest bit of greenery to the Vatican. If it wasn't for the disorganised manner in which the Italian police were overseeing the event, my guess is that it might have been possible for my friend and I to have participated in the Mass from the Via della Conciliazione. Having said that, because there were so many pilgrims in Rome today it was a privilege to be anywhere near the action - even if that meant being a mile or two away from St Peter's.
Whilst joining my fellow pilgrims in singing the relevant parts of the Mass this morning, it struck me how little Latin most Catholics know. It also became quite apparent that a common liturgical language would solve the problem of having to listen to several different translations going on at once! A few Polish pilgrims even seemed to be having their own Polish Mass in the midst of the rest of us, even whilst we were trying to engage with the main Beatification Mass as it was being celebrated!
The weather here was far too hot for me, and after the Mass I had to go and sleep. I woke up just before 4:00pm and realised that I'd previously arranged to meet another blogger in St Peter's Square at that time. It was a mad rush to get to the Square on time, but once I got there it was so packed that finding Jane (from Thoughts from a Catholic Oasis) would have been impossible. Instead, I decided to join the queue to go and venerate Bl John Paul's body.
At the time, it was being reported that it would take about 4 hours to get into St Peter's Basilica, but I really wanted to pray inside, so overcame many and anxiety and doubt and joined the line. It actually took about 3 hours and 45 minutes to get into St Peter's, and then another 30 minutes to get to the see the new beatus' coffin. It was well worth the wait! Of course, I managed to remember my readers in prayer as I filed past the body of Blessed John Paul II, asking for his intercession and for God's blessing on you all.
Earlier on in the day I had switched on my phone to find that I had some battery power left from yesterday - even though it seemed to have died during the afternoon. So, I was able to take some photos from inside St Peter's and, more importantly, of the wooden coffin that contains John Paul's body. Unfortunately, though, my battery finally ran out as I left the Basilica - so I won't be able to upload the pictures until I get home tomorrow.
Of course, tomorrow will also see the Vatican's first ever meeting with Catholic bloggers, and I'm looking forward to finding out what will be discussed. If I can, I will try and write something on here as it happens, otherwise will do so when I arrive back in the UK. Due to the timing of my flight home, I won't be able to stay for the last part of the conference, but I am sure that there will be many others who can fill you in on what was discussed...
For now, though, as tired as I am, the only thing left to say is, "buonanotte!"
2 comments:
Fascinating! Thanks.
Glad you were able to meet up with Jane as you had said you planned to do in a previous comment to us.
Don't forget please, to check out the numbers of women who were able to take up the invitation and their experience as bloggers in the gladiatorial arena of the blogosphere. This aspect may come up as part of general discussion at the Meeting.
Enjoy tomorrow. A real learning curve!
Thanks very much for sharing your experience. I agree regarding Latin. I was present in Rome for Blessed John Paul's first Easter as Pope in 1979. On the Sunday evening, as I crossed S Peter's Square I came upon a group of young people calling up towards the window of the apostolic palace and attempting to get his attention. Someone,doubtless aware of his devotion to Our Lady, had the idea of singing the Salve Regina. I was able to join in and - yes - it worked! He came out and joined in the singing. He spoke for a while in Italian and then led us in singing the Regina Caeli. It was a profound moment of belonging to the Universal Church which I shall never forget.
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