UK: Tens of thousands attend papal open-air Mass in Birmingham, Vatican spokesman says four day visit by Pope Benedict a 'spiritual success.'

Record ID: 858130

  • Title: UK: Tens of thousands attend papal open-air Mass in Birmingham, Vatican spokesman says four day visit by Pope Benedict a 'spiritual success.'
  • Date: 20th September 2010
  • Summary: BANNER IN CROWD READING "I LOVE YOU XX MORE THAN BEANS ON TOAST" WOMAN WEARING WELLINGTON BOOTS WITH "I LOVE POPE" AND "CATHOLIC HEART AND SOUL" WRITTEN ON THEM PEOPLE CHEERING / WOMAN WAVING AS MASS CROWDS IN PARK (SOUNDBITE) (English) SISTER SUSAN, FROM LEEDS DIOSCESE, SAYING: "Yes, yes it is wonderful with so many people in spite of the bad weather." CROWDS IN PARKS WITH STAGE IN BACKGROUND
  • Embargoed: 5th October 2010 13:00
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  • Topics: International Relations,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVAC1NF8T1HPQ2YSPHAFZKAWBPF
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  • Story Text: A papal kiss settled 10-month old Aderonke Ijason into a blissful slumber, during a two-hour long open air mass in Birmingham on Sunday (September 19).
    The infant was oblivious to the loud singing and cheering going on around her after Pope Benedict leaned out of his bullet-proof "popemobile" to give Aderonke a kiss as he entered Cofton Park.
    Her excited mother, Ese, said even at just 10-months old, her daughter knew how to get the Pontiff's attention.
    "All of a sudden the pope just passed by and the baby kept clapping towards him and then he kissed her. That was like out of this world," she said.
    The Cofton Park mass to beatify Cardinal John Henry Newman was the centrepiece of the Pope's four-day trip to Britain and a crowd of over 50,000 worshippers braved the cold, blustery rain to take part in the special service.
    Grey skies didn't dampen their enthusiasm as they cheered, clapped and waved Vatican flags, on the last day of the pope's four-day trip to Britain.
    "I was shaking and I was so excited, I just wanted to jump up," said 10-year-old pilgrim, Florence.
    "He looked very pleased with all the people, I thought he looked more relaxed than the first day he came," added another pilgrim, named Monica.
    The beatification process is one in which the individual becomes "blessed" and is the final step before sainthood. To be pronounced a saint a miracle must be witnessed in Newman's name.
    Cardinal Newman is the most prominent English converts from Anglicanism to Catholicism who lived from 1801 to 1890. He became a Catholic in 1845 was a central figure in the Oxford Movement, which tried to move the Church of England closer to Rome. He is revered in both the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches.
    Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi described the 83-year-old pontiff's visit to Britain as a "spiritual success".
    "In a sense I think if the pope is happy it is not because there are big crowds or a sense of a success in a very material significance but because we have the clear demonstration that many many people were listening with profound interested to what the pope had to say and demonstrated joy in listening to him and to his message. I think this is a way we can speak of a success it is a spiritual success," he told media in Birmingham.
    The Pope will depart for Rome on Sunday evening.
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