DAY 173 - ROME: MICHAEL MEETS THE POPE

12 October, 2011

1737 miles/ 3,775, 601 steps

Justin Bedford, our brilliant Deputy Head of Mission to the Holy See, had been very careful to manage expectations about the visit to the Vatican. It was very difficult to get a ticket so popular are the weekly Papal Audiences with pilgrims from around the world. I might just get to see the Pope, but to meet him was a remote possibility. Justin met me at the entrance/border where there was thorough security around St Peter’s Square.

Over the years I have found that sometimes visits to cities and sites never quite live up to our own hyper-inflated expectations, but St Peter’s Square was to exceed them.  This place has a remarkable history stretching back to AD 326 when the site was given to the church by the Roman Emperor Constantine following the Edict of Milan, because it was the burial site of St Peter who had been crucified there 250 years earlier and of whom Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church.” [Matthew 14]

There was almost a party atmosphere as I entered, with about 10,000 pilgrims often in groups with brightly coloured banners and flags and singing in their own languages—the scene sent a shiver down my spine such was the emotional and spiritual energy of the crowd. The first indication that I might have a slightly better vantage point was when I presented my ticket to one of the Swiss guards and he pointed at the red writing at the foot of the invitation which read “Reparto: Sagrato S”. I was then met by another guard who took me up the side of the steps up to St Peter’s where a large canopy covered the seat that would soon be occupied by Santo Padre Benedetto XVI.  I was then ushered through two sets of officials who checked my name on their list and then taken down to the third seat from the end of the front row, just as the Papal motorcade began to wind its way through the cheering crowds. I am fairly used to highly charged events, being involved in Party conferences, church services and in Parliament, not to mention frequent visits to St James’ Park, but this was quite unlike anything I have ever experienced and the emotion of the event was at times quite overwhelming.

The Pope’s car then drove up a ramp in the middle of the steps of St Peter and passed slowly in front of us and then stopped as the eighty-four year old pontiff was helped down the steep steps and I was quite taken by his shiny red shoes – reminiscent of Dorothy’s ruby slippers in the Wizard of Oz. Opposite were a row of Cardinals who looked as they had walked straight out of central casting from the ‘Thornbirds’ and looked ever so slightly miffed that the Pope’s car had come up our side of the alter. The Pope then assumed his position to more applause and cheers and the service got underway.

The format of the audience, which lasted an hour and a half, was actually six mini-services of around 10-15 minutes in different languages: French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Italian. Each time a priest would come to the microphone in front of the Pope and pronounce greetings from the pilgrims of that tongue and he would then refer to particular groups by name and up from a distant corner you might here a song or simply cheers, each time the Pope acknowledged them. Then the Pope would give the reading for the day in that language from Psalm 126:

“When the lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our mouths were filled with joy…The lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy.”    

In the midst of international political and economic uncertainty it was a wonderful message of hope and an accompanying reminder for us to be thankful for what we have, rather than despairing for what we have not.  I could have sat there all day whilst the groups from every continent were introduced, but the time just flew past and soon the service was over and the line of about twenty Cardinals opposite were ushered forward to meet the Pope one by one.  Then to my amazement one of the guards came and led our row forward. It was very unexpected and I became quite nervous; again, I had met some great people in my time: HM the Queen, Margaret Thatcher, Alan Shearer, but this was very different because of the beauty of the occasion and, and this might sound strange coming from a Protestant tradition, a spiritual authority in the person of the Pope.

Prior to the attending the audience Justin Bedford had taken me through the protocol “in the remote chance that you meet the Pope” and fortunately it came back in the nick of time: the Pope would offer his hand and if I was a Roman Catholic then I may wish to kiss his ring, but if not then a slight bow would suffice. There was a pause whilst each person was presented and a respectful distance was kept so that any conversation was quiet. The Pope was flanked by two officials with folders who would in turns whisper discretely in his ear between presentations. I went for the slight bow but the Pope just took my hand warmly in both of his hands and as I rose he smiled and said, “You have walked a long way.”  I responded simply with a “Yes” and I thanked him for allowing me to be part of such an uplifting event and then, as he was still holding my hand, I went on to explain a little about the Olympic truce and he smiled again and said, “Thank you for what you are doing for world peace.” I was then given a rosary and led off the stage by one of the officials to collect my bag and was then led back down the steps of St Peter.

As I found a seat in a cafe, opened my rosary and reflected on an amazing time, I was struck how quick people are to sneer in the direction of the church and especially the Roman Catholic Church—I confess I have had a few digs along the way myself, but what I saw in St Peter’s Square was sublime, a beautiful expression of service and hope. I mingled with nuns and priests from every continent who were responsible for caring for the poor, comforting the bereaved, defending the rights of the oppressed, healing the sick, reconciling communities in dispute, educating the young. All ages, all backgrounds. That this one church should number amongst its followers almost 20% of the global population and should be growing today at a faster rate today than ever before, despite its manifest failings and lingering controversies, is evidence enough that God is with them and through them with us.