~ Pope Benedict XVI's Visit to Malta 2010 ~
A Pilgrim following in St Paul's footsteps
Early around nine this morning as the skies sprinkled light showers, I set out with camera in hand, wearing a rain jacket over summer wear as it was quite warm, and walked to our nearby village of Balzan. Crowds were beginning to gather along the streets where Pope Benedict XVI was due to pass through on his way to the Granaries Square in Floriana to celebrate Holy Mass.
In this first picture you can see people getting ready to welcome the Pope.
And here is the Police escorting the Popemobile as people were waving flags and taking pictures while trying to get a good glimpse of the Pope waving and smiling at everyone.
And this is the closest photo I could take before Pope Benedict XVI
passed by, so I quickly clicked and then waved...
it was a special moment!
Now I realise that I saw him from quite close, in fact I think it's the closest I ever got to being near any Pope.
This is the third one I've been fortunate enough to see in real life,
(... hmm am I giving away my age here LOL!)
I have memories of seeing Pope Paul VI when I visited
the Vatican, then again my husband and I had travelled
many miles to see Ven Pope John Paul II when we lived in Canada
and we saw him once more when we came back to the island
and he had passed right beneath
our balcony on his last visit to Malta.
This has been definitely a very memorable day for all
Maltese and Gozitans and we will cherish the memory
for a long time to come.
~I will be posting more pictures soon~
Lucky one ! to have the Pope pass from your very own street!
ReplyDeleteMy son decided thet Pope wasin a Playmobil not a popemobile. LOL Trust a 4 year old.
ReplyDeleteI am sure this is a memory you will cherish forever. I remember when Ven.Pope John Paul II visited Asti, we went to see him pass by in the street too. We had attended a ceremony organised for famalies in our cathedral when he was in Asti but Neil was little and would not be good so we had to leave before it was over.
ReplyDeleteI still remember one lady saying( refering to us and our little one) ... "they shouldn't bring them to church if they do not know how to behave" I remember THIS HURT ME very much.
Sue.
How neat! What an experience!
ReplyDelete