Palm Sunday

Apart from the liturgy, Palm Sunday in Rome is special for another reason - it is World Youth Day! Usually WYD occurs in a different world city every two or three years. For all other years, WYD is on Palm Sunday in Rome. So this year, Kev and I spent the last four days at a WYD Conference with delegates from 98 different countries. The Conference took place in Rocca di Papa, which is in the hills above the lake at Castel Gandolfo. Kev was helping with all the music for the Conference. We were there from Wednesday until Saturday night. This was all in the lead-up to Palm Sunday.

Once again the ESM was part of the procession at St Peter's for Palm Sunday. We got there nice an early, and entered through the Bronze Door of the Vatican to wait for the procession to start. We were each given a massive palm. So while we all waited, we were constantly poked in the eye and donged on the head with other people's palms. It was fun!

Then we processed out into the Square amid the crowds of people waving palms. We cirlcled around the obelisk while the Pope arrived to pray the opening prayers.

The procession began again, and we walked up toward the basilica to be seated in front of the altar.

Hele & Kev

The Mass was long but so beautiful. Three of our students did readings. Another three of our friends received Holy Communion from the Holy Father (Bernard, Jill Ann and Carly).

Bernard receiving Holy Communion from Pope Benedict XVI

The WYD conference finished with lunch at the Centro San Lorenzo. After this, Kev and I went home....exhausted....with a busy week ahead.