Palm Sunday 2014

[caption id="attachment_1567" align="alignnone" width="645"] We got up at 5 AM to head out the door for Palm Sunday. The gates opened at 7:30, and we arrived at a good time - we were very close to the head of the line, which stretched to the end of the block within an hour.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1568" align="alignnone" width="645"] Our early morning paid off! Front row seats at a papal mass![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1569" align="alignnone" width="645"] We were all rather elated at our good luck with seats. :) Brian and Lindsay, with Swiss Guard in background.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1570" align="alignnone" width="645"] Theresa, also very excited.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1572" align="alignnone" width="645"] Self, looking very not-photogenic in the early morning, also excited.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1573" align="alignnone" width="645"] St. Peter's Square was decorated with live olive trees and other flowers. The green-ness brought the whole square to life, and helped to transport you into the world of the liturgical celebration.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1574" align="alignnone" width="645"] The Pope came out our side on the popemobile for the procession. At the beginning of Mass, he looked and sounded absolutely exhausted. We were starting to worry about him, because he was practically gasping for breath. He perked up in the middle of mass, though. And I did appreciate how he kept the procession solemn and somber, as it should be.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1575" align="alignnone" width="645"] He then processed to the obelisk, preceded by a massive procession of young people carrying giant palms, servers, priests, bishops, and cardinals. He did the blessing of the palms from the base of the obelisk. (Which, if you didn't know, has a piece of the True Cross at the very top.)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1576" align="alignnone" width="645"] A sea of waving olive branches as the procession made its way to the altar.[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_1578" align="alignnone" width="645"] Incensing the altar.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1579" align="alignnone" width="645"] The Communion umbrella, so that you can tell where the nearest priest is. Luckily, being in the front row meant that we barely had to leave our seats for communion, and we didn't have to deal with the crowd.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1580" align="alignnone" width="645"] After Mass, before the final blessing, the World Youth Day cross and icon were passed from Brazilian youth to Polish youth, in preparation for WYD 2016.  It was very fun to see the countries greet each other in this way!  I figure, this is the closest I'll ever get to WYD, so that was fun.  I was, however, very disappointed to see how many kids were wearing jeans to mass with the Pope, even though they were sitting in a privileged position, halfway up the steps near the altar.[/caption]

 

Overall, this was an absolutely wonderful experience.  There was a beautiful brass choir playing as the pope processed in; that plus the thousands of people waving palms, and the choir chanting the "Gloria Laus" and "Pueri Hebraeorum"...an amazing experience on an epic scale.  It was easy to enter into the liturgy when you realized that the Pope is the alter Christus in a special way - he is indeed the Vicar of Christ, and so takes the place of Christ in the procession with a deep significance.  I'm very grateful that we were able to be there, and especially grateful that we were able to be so close!