When in Rome, so the saying goes, do as the Romans do—and as the pilgrims do from all over the world. Every Wednesday, the Pope holds a public audience in St. Peter's Square, addressing the crowd in a homily and bestowing an apostolic blessing on all who attend—and explicitly by extension their families and loved ones. It takes a ticket to get into the square itself, or for selected members of the media, a special credential. Unfortunately for me, neither were forthcoming this week, as the Vatican press office found itself dealing with larger problems and logistics.
So rather than miss it altogether, I decided to go as a pilgrim to the outside barriers for the event. By the time I arrived, Pope Francis had already toured the crowd in his open vehicle, stopping several times to kiss children and greet people within the square. Those crowds had gathered for hours to wait for the Pope to arrive, and they received him in a joyous mood. On the outskirts, the attention spans were less impressive, as people took selfies and chatted, but for the most part the crowd focused on the ceremony and the Holy Father's words.
The distance from the Pope at the outer barriers is not so far as to make it impossible to feel part of the event. The Vatican erects four large-screen TVs in the square to allow everyone to see close-up images of the celebrants, including the Pope. Even at the outer barriers, this allows for a surprisingly intimate experience for pilgrims—even those using telephoto lenses to capture the action on the dais.
The television feed from CTV is much better, just as one would expect, but watching it on television doesn't bring you into the presence of the Holy Father, nor of all those who gather in the common joy of celebrating faith together. It's a good reminder that Catholicism isn't a spectator sport!
Pilgrims who do attend will bring religious articles for blessing by the Pope. The apostolic blessing blesses those items and the pilgrims for their attendance.
If you come to Rome and wish to attend, be sure to bring your rosaries, crucifixes, and other items before the Wednesday audience. Just make sure you don't miss this event and the opportunity to spend a little quality time with the Pope along with thousands of your fellow pilgrims.
