{"id":6323,"date":"2011-08-21T15:42:39","date_gmt":"2011-08-21T19:42:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/news\/?p=6323"},"modified":"2011-08-21T15:45:46","modified_gmt":"2011-08-21T19:45:46","slug":"pope-loses-his-hat-2-million-excited-kids-whoop-cry-cheer-as-he-drives-through-their-midst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/2011\/08\/pope-loses-his-hat-2-million-excited-kids-whoop-cry-cheer-as-he-drives-through-their-midst","title":{"rendered":"Pope loses hat, 2 million excited kids cry, whoop, cheer as he drives in their midst"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"<\/a>
The pope speaks despite the storm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite gusting winds that blew off his hat and driving rain that cut short his sermon, Pope Benedict XVI spoke to a crowd\u00a0that the Associated Press estimated at\u00a0“more than a million young people” Saturday night.<\/p>\n

In the middle of the crowd was 19-year-old Blanca Beas from Green Forest, Arkansas, who for a week has faithfully sent home photos and updates of her pilgrimage with 30 other kids and chaperones from two rural parishes near the Missouri border.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

“Pulling an all nighter with the Pope!! :)” she texted home to anxious parents and friends worried by accounts of the storm that swept\u00a0Cuatro Vientos airport — which for the event was turned into an outdoor cathedral. Police estimated the crowd at 1.5 million.<\/p>\n

Organizers said registrations\u00a0had approached 2 million — swamping plans for everyone to receive communion. Instead, long lines of youth received the\u00a0eucharist until supplies were exhausted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Blanca snaps a shot as the Pontiff drives past<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Benedict told the crowd that they should not keep their faith private but participate fully in the life of their parishes back home.<\/p>\n

“So do not keep Christ to yourselves! Share with others the joy of your faith,” he told the kids.<\/p>\n

Saturday night, the sudden thunderstorm during a prayer vigil at the airfield forced Benedict to cut short his remarks and slightly injured six people when a tent collapsed.<\/p>\n

Several temporary chapels set up on the field’s perimeter were also damaged.<\/p>\n

Despite the rain and winds,\u00a0Blanca and\u00a0her cohorts\u00a0spent the night in sleeping bags, tents and under tarps. She admitted being tired, but\u00a0was excited\u00a0as\u00a0the vast crowd\u00a0awoke to sunny skies Sunday.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Pope Benedict XIV<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Organizers announced they were opening a new area at the\u00a0airfield to accommodate late arrivals. The area was divided into sections, allowing the Popemobile to drive throughout the crowd — permitting everyone a glimpse of the Pontiff.<\/p>\n

Excited, Blanca sent home photos as Benedict slowly drove past the Arkansas kids.<\/p>\n

This is Benedict’s third World Youth Day, the gathering of young Catholics from around the world once every three years that was launched a quarter-century ago by Pope John Paul II.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Weathering the rain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Arkansas kids sent home descriptions that told of\u00a0a combination week-long church camp, pilgrimage and\u00a0rock concert, with\u00a0hundreds of thousands\u00a0of flag-waving kids visiting Madrid’s museums and monuments, posing for photos with new friends from across the globe. More than 100 countries were represented.<\/p>\n

The Arkansas group was fortunate to stay in a very nice hotel. Every room in the Spanish capital is booked. Thousands of kids are staying in private homes — as well as in tents in parks.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Saturday night's storm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the end of Sunday’s mass, Benedict officially announced that the next World Youth Day will take place in Rio, Brazil,\u00a0in 2013 \u2014 a year early to avoid conflicts with the 2014 World Cup\u00a0of soccer there \u2014 and said he hoped to attend. Delighted Brazilians in the crowd whooped and cheered at the announcement.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Blanca Beas, texting home: "Goin' to see the Pope!"<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Will Blanca go to Brazil? She smiled hopefully.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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