The current seems particularly well between the new sovereign pontiff and the Catholic youth. Hundreds of thousands of young people from around the world have acclaimed Leon XIV on Saturday as a rock star for an outdoor vigil near Rome, a highlight of the jubilee, after the Pope made a spectacular arrival on board a helicopter.
Pilgrims have exclaimed and others melted in tears when the white military helicopter hit the ground of the immense esplanade of Tor Vergata located east of Rome, where nearly 800,000 young faithful from 146 countries, according to the organizers, were gathered for the “youth jubilee” who started on Monday. Mounted aboard the papamobile, the first American pope displayed a big smile and praised the crowd in joy gathered along his career after spending the day listening to music, praying or exchanging with other pilgrims.
Nourished cries and applause
“The Pope is there! Announces a boosted voice through the speakers, causing nourished applause and resounding cries. But the animator of the event quickly took on a more solemn voice when the 69 -year -old pope goes up on the stage, carrying a large wooden cross. “Dear young people, after walking, praying and shared these days of grace of the jubilee dedicated to you, we now come together in the light of this evening to watch together,” said the Pope.
This rally takes place almost three months after the start of the Pontificate of Leon and 25 years after the Jubilee of the year 2000, during which more than two million young people participated in the World Youth Days at the call of Pope John Paul II.
An extraordinary logistics challenge
Most of the participants plan to spend the night on the esplanade of more than 500,000 square meters, to the great closing mass celebrated by the Pope on Sunday morning, highlight of the jubilee, “holy year” organized every 25 years by the Catholic Church. The RAI, Italian public radioevision, described the event “Catholic Woodstock”, while twenty music and dance groups, mostly religious, followed one another during the day, with music at full volume.
Our file on the Vatican
The organization of the event was an extraordinary logistical challenge, with some 10,000 people deployed, including police and civil protection agents, and sanitary measures – distribution of water bottles and misty – to help participants overcome heat. From the Colosseum on the outskirts of the Vatican, the waves of pilgrims, exhibiting the flags in their countries, flooded the transport and the arteries of the eternal city all week in a festive atmosphere, between concerts, conferences and prayers.