Posted on 05/28/2006 9:34:54 AM PDT by lizol
Benedict celebrates Mass for nearly a million Poles
Reuters
SUNDAY, MAY 28, 2006
KRAKOW, Poland A huge crowd attended a Mass with Pope Benedict XVI here on Sunday as he prepared to visit the Auschwitz death camp to pray as leader of the world's Roman Catholics and a "son of Germany."
Benedict said Mass for a gathering estimated at more than 900,000 people in a field in Krakow where his predecessor, John Paul II, traditionally held huge gatherings with his countrymen before returning to Rome.
The throbbing crowd waved a sea of banners and flags while Benedict passed through in his traditional touring car at the start of the event, a scene reminiscent of John Paul's visits.
In his sermon, Benedict urged Poland, which has one of the world's most active Christian populations, to "share with the other people of the world the treasure of your faith" as a fitting and lasting tribute to Pope John Paul.
Hints on sainthood
Ian Fisher of The New York Times reported earlier from Krakow:
On Saturday, the pope suggested again that John Paul would live on as a saint, telling pilgrims at a shrine that he hoped it would happen soon.
The new pope's impromptu remarks drew wild applause from about 15,000 people - some holding signs saying, "Sainthood now!" - who had gathered to see Benedict on the third day of a pilgrimage to the places that shaped the life of John Paul, who died in April 2005.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Ping
FYI
Great pictures. Thanks for posting!
I guess the people aren't offended by the cross there ..?? - like they are in San Diego.
Thanks for the pictures. Without FR, I would have thought there were only a few people there.
See the rainbow? It's just amazing, like some kind of a sign from Heaven :-)
Does anyone have the photo of the Holy Father as he began to speak and the rainbow came out???
BTTT
Thanks, lizol.
Thanks for the pings!
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Thanks for the PING , Salvation.
Great pics, Lizol. Truly amazing.
My sister is currently traveling in Poland and attended these services. Wish we could have been there. It had to be wonderful.
The turnout was 1.5 million, not "nearly a million".
So glad to have been there. Awesome, undescribable. God bless the Pope, God bless Poland!
Beautiful, beautiful pictures....I was watching EWTN most of the afternoon, saw the Auschwitz trip in live action, Pope Benedict going in to pray in St Maximilian Kolbe's cell; and then the moving ceremony in Birknau, as Benedict walked by the memorials, pausing, praying, and possibly crying...
Somewhere Hitler is tearing his hair out in rage.
Somewhere John Paul the Great is looking on and smiling.
The rainbow, how eerie was that in timing?
Thank you again for the photos!
"Maybe you can try to find her here."
Considering how many people there were--and how tiny they always look in these crowd photos, that's rather optimisitic. Still, it's worth a try, so good luck.
I'm going to try anyway just to try to surprise her when she returns this coming weekend. Thanks.
The photo of the pope with the rainbow in the background is powerful!
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