They wore T-shirts celebrating the man they’d come from across the world to see. Some wore homemade miters, the ornamental headwear that adorns the pope. Others simply prayed – for the world, for themselves, for Pope Francis.
Here are some observations from the faithful Saturday in Philadelphia:
A stiff wind blew from City Hall toward the Art Museum, creating a whisper among the trees and a murmur among the growing throngs waiting to see the pope.
Among them: Tania Jacinto of Duluth. In less than an hour, Pope Francis was scheduled to hold a Mass inside the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, just across the spot from where Jacinto stood on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
She laughed with pleasure. So did her friends, Holly Blakeley of Long Island, N.Y., and Melanie Karolenko of Baltimore. They met this summer at Camp Hidden Lake in Dahlonega.
Each is a big fan of Pope Francis.
“Well, wow!” said Jacinto, 20, who’s studying to be a missionary. “His heart is golden. He’s as cool as Jesus.”
Karolenko nodded. “He’s our papa,” she said. “He brings a joy and a humbleness to the church. I think he’s really transforming our culture.”
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How cool is the pope?
Cool enough to get to get Andre Giglione excused from school.
Andre, 14, of Chicago, grinned with delight at the memory. When his teachers learned he was traveling with his family to Philadelphia to see the pope, they excused him from classes. He and his family left Thursday for the 14-hour drive to Philadelphia.
“He’s a good leader,” said Andre, who came with his parents and three siblings. “He helps every country because he’s so close to God.”
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There were times that Chandler Steele questioned how he treated others – how he viewed strangers, how he dealt with those who tried his patience.
Then, the pope changed his outlook.
“I’ve seen him be so open with everybody,” said Steele, 19, of Woodstock. He came from Stetson University in Florida, where he’s studying pre-medicine. One day, God willing, he’ll be a cardiologist.
“He (Francis) wants to share God’s love with everybody,” said Steele, who graduated from Etowah High School last year. “The pope has showed me that you should treat others with compassion and love.”
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Vanessa Abrenica was lucky: Her cousin lives in New York, a quick drive from Philadelphia. On Saturday morning, they headed south from the city until they found a spot on the parkway. That was the easiest part of the trip for Abrenica. She’s from Manila, the Philippines. The flight to America took 18 hours.
She doesn’t regret a moment of the time, said Abrenica, a financial adviser.
“I’ve always followed Pope Francis,” she said, “He’s the symbol of hope. Hearing him is inspiring.”
Just then she saw a flash of white, across the parkway. The pope! For a moment, the crowds parted and she got a glimpse of the man for whom she’d traveled halfway around the world to see.
“Wait a minute,” she said. Abrenica raised her cell phone, aimed at the distant figure in white. Snap!
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Tim and Shireen Dastis of Blackwood, N.J., paused to model a facsimile of the headwear the pope wears for Mass.
“We’re pope fans,” said Shireen Dastis, stating the obvious.
Her husband smiled. “I came for the beer and the food,” he said.
Came for the experience of seeing the leader of the Catholic Church, too.
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Kendra Shea and Jack Carney were walking, too – taking in the sights, marveling at a city center transformed into a showcase of faith. They are from Birmingham.
“It’s very festive,” said Shea.
A festival celebrating a great leader, Carney added.
“To me, he (Francis) has such a quiet, Christ-like personality,” he said.
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There were times that Chandler Steele questioned how treated others – how he viewed strangers, how he dealt with those who tried his patience.
Then, the pope changed his outlook.
“I’ve seen him be so open with everybody,” said Steele, 19, of Woodstock. He came to Philadelphia from Stetson University in Florida, where he’s studying pre-medicine. One day, God willing, he’ll be a cardiologist.
“He (Francis) wants to share God’s love with everybody,” said Steele, who graduated from Etowah High School last year. “The pope has showed me that you should treat others with compassion and love.”
For many others, coming was a chance to express their faith. Here’s how some described that opportunity:
“It confirms my faith in the Catholic Church, in fellow Catholics and Christians around the world who wanted to send that message out to the world and who are willing to do what’s necessary to share that with other people.” - MarkTolcher
“Sometimes from where I’m from, there are people from a ton of different faiths and when I come here it’s nice to see everyone who believe in the same things that I do and it helps me grow when I see others, specially when we come together.” - Stephany Revoredo
“It lets me know that I’m not alone. There’s like a million of people here just to see this one guy. It just lets me know what I’m really trying for is the same a lot of people are trying for, that we all have the same struggles and hardships.” - Dyan Eckart
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