VATICAN: Emotional crowds at the Vatican feel privileged to witness a ceremony proclaiming Popes John XXIII and John Paul II as saints of the Catholic Church

Record ID: 644150

  • Title: VATICAN: Emotional crowds at the Vatican feel privileged to witness a ceremony proclaiming Popes John XXIII and John Paul II as saints of the Catholic Church
  • Date: 27th April 2014
  • Summary: VATICAN CITY (APRIL 27, 2014) (REUTERS) CROWDS OF PILGRIMS WATCHING CEREMONY ON LARGE SCREEN NEAR ST. PETER'S SQUARE JOHN PAUL II FLAGS BEING WAVED VARIOUS OF CROWDS CHEERING AND APPLAUDING WOMAN CRYING IN CROWD NUN READING CEREMONIAL BROCHURE (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) POLISH PRIEST, WOJCIECH SADLON, SAYING: "So for me as a Polish priest it is a great day, and I think that this link between us and him is stronger, so it is really a great day for me." (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) POLISH STUDENT, SUZANNA NAVUCIECH, SAYING: "It is one of the biggest events, an important moment in the church for the people who believe." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANADIAN TOURIST, LOREN GREENHORN, SAYING: "It's very good, yeah, it's the best, yeah, it's the best in my life, I've never seen that, it's my first time in Rome, both of us, my husband and I, so yeah, it's beautiful, it's good." (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH STUDENT, FRANCOIS, SAYING: "I don't have the words to explain, it's something very, very impressive for me and very beautiful." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINIAN PILGRIM, LEONARDO RUINO, SAYING: "I think that they were two great people, each of them had their own particular character, so they deserve what is happening." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING SCREENS
  • Embargoed: 12th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Vatican City State
  • Country: Vatican City State
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVACUYD8QKDAKP5M61HS78BPIO81
  • Story Text: Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who had flocked to the Vatican to hear Pope Francis proclaim two of his predecessors Popes John XXIII and John Paul II as saints on Sunday (April 27), were overcome with emotion at witnessing the special ceremony.
    The canonisation of two former popes on the same day was unprecedented in the history of the Church.
    There was not room in the square for all the pilgrims, so special screens were set up at various points around the square to allow people to follow the solemn service.
    The crowd was so large that it stretched back along all of Via della Conciliazione, the half kilometre-long, broad boulevard that starts at the Tiber River, where even some of the bridges were packed with pilgrims.
    Many Polish pilgrims had travelled to celebrate their home-grown saint, John Paul II.

    "So for me as a Polish priest it is a great day, and I think that this link between us and him is stronger," said Polish priest Wojciech Sadlon.

    "So it is really a great day for me," the Priest added.
    Pilgrims of all ages were present in the mass of people.
    Polish student Suzanna Navuciech had travelled with a group of friends and expressed her awe at the size of the crowd and the significance of the ceremony.

    "It is one of the biggest events, an important moment in the church for the people who believe," said Navuciech.
    Canadian tourist Loren Greenhorn was overwhelmed by the spectacle that marked her and her husband's first visit to Rome.

    "It's very good, it's the best, it's the best in my life, I've never seen that, it's my first time in Rome, both for my husband and I," Greenhorn said.
    While others admitted to simply being lost for words.

    "I don't have the words to explain, it's something very, very impressive for me and very beautiful," said French student Francois.
    Although the Polish contingent was probably the largest, there were also many visitors from Argentina, the home of Pope Francis.

    "I think that they were two great people, each of them had their own particular character, so they deserve what is happening," explained Argentinian pilgrim Leonardo Ruino.
    The election of the Argentinian-born Pope Francis has injected fresh enthusiasm into a Church beset by sexual and financial scandals during the papacy of his predecessor Benedict XVI, who last year became the first pope to resign in 600 years.
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