Pope in Britain: Faithful get their day in the sun

There were the frail and the elderly, whole families spanning several generations, people in wheelchairs, and those swaddled in layers of clothing who would, under other circumstances, never spend a chilly autumn day camped out.

Under the arms of young and old alike were folding canvas chairs that over the course of the afternoon turned Bellahouston Park, in an unglamorous area of Glasgow, into a vast, open-air church.

Beforehand, the atmosphere was like that of a huge rock concert, excited, joyous, the air filled with anticipation. As the hours counted down towards the Pontiff's appearance there were performances by children's choirs and then, as the time drew near, by X Factor singing star Susan Boyle, who brought the pilgrims to their feet as a sea of lags waved.

The great and the good were down at the front, immediately before the stage dominated by an altar of white marble and the Papal throne, politicians and peers, churchmen and civic worthies. But it was the 60,000 others behind them that were the heart and soul of this extraordinary day.

Those at the back were 600 yards distant from the altar but it didn't matter. Thousands of the yellow tote bags held binoculars, which were trained on the stage by worshippers unwilling to miss a moment or a movement that might tell them he was here.

As the minutes ticked towards 4.45, the time when the Papal entourage was due at the gates, the anticipation intensified; he was a few minutes late, and then the roar of 60,000 voices announced his arrival.

There were many in the crowd not born when the last Papal visit to Britain took place, 28 years ago, and the wave of joy that swept across Bellahouston Park was almost palpable.

The Popemobile did a figure-of-eight circuit around the roadway of the park, surrounded by a cordon of security guards. Inside, the Pontiff was seated, a neat, trim figure of a man, all in white, smiling benevolently as he waved to the faithful who waved back and raised their cameras to capture a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Not just cameras were raised to him; infants were too, and the Pontiff stopped, took the babies inside and kissed them.

As he ascended the steps to the altar, the breeze catching his golden robes, Benedict showed little sign of his 83 years, stepping forward firmly and purposefully. The first few words of his blessing were inaudible but then his voice came into focus, as firm as his step, his words coloured by the German accent.

At those words, the crowd – his congregation – settled. Many knelt on the grass, some stood on their canvas chair the better to see; most just stood. But all were silent. The atmosphere was as reverential as any Catholic church on a Sunday morning.

As the sun started to sink, a small army of Eucharistic ministers fanned out into the crowd, each of them marked out by an assistant holding a yellow umbrella, as thousands queued to receive Communion.

The Pope himself gave Holy Communion to a small group of people, including disabled woman Rosemarie Stevenson, 36, who had also received the host in Glasgow from Pope John Paul II in 1982. Then he watched, for more than than half an hour, as the thousands of pilgrims took their turns, the ministers stopping for stragglers as the procession headed back towards the altar.

At seven, the mass concluded, the Pontiff rose from his throne and descended the steps, smiling and waving as once again waves of applause and cheering swept across the parkland. He paused to bless three children, and then he was gone, having written a chapter into history, and, more importantly for those gathered in Bellahouston Park, etched an undying memory into their hearts.

Religion guarantees liberty, crowd told

Tom Palmer

THE outdoor mass was bathed in sunlight as the Pope delivered the homily, calling on the lay faithful to deliver the church's message at a time when "some seek to paint religion as a threat to equality and liberty".

There were tears in the eyes of many elderly pilgrims as the Pontiff spoke, and young people wearing Bless The Pope headbands waved excitedly while others scrambled to take photographs.

He called on the young Catholics of Scotland to lead lives "worthy of our Lord and of yourselves".

"There are some who now seek to exclude religious belief from public discourse, to privatise it or even to paint it as a threat to equality and liberty," he said.

"Yet religion is in fact a guarantee of authentic liberty and respect, leading us to look upon every person as a brother or sister.

"For this reason I appeal in particular to you, the lay faithful, in accordance with your baptismal calling and mission, not only to be examples of faith in public, but also to put the case for the promotion of faith's wisdom and vision in the public forum.

"Society today needs clear voices which propose our right to live, not in a jungle of self-destructive and arbitrary freedoms, but in a society which works for the true welfare of its citizens and offers them guidance and protection in the face of their weakness and fragility.

"Do not be afraid to take up this service to your brothers and sisters, and to the future of your beloved nation."

The Pontiff warned young people they would face many temptations, and urged them to "put aside what is worthless and learn of your own dignity as children of God".

"My dear young Catholics of Scotland. I urge you to lead lives worthy of our Lord and of yourselves.

"There are many temptations placed before you every day – drugs, money, sex, pornography, alcohol – which the world tells you will bring you happiness, yet these things are destructive and divisive.

"There is only one thing which lasts: the love of Jesus Christ." And then the Pope offered up a blessing to the crowds of worshippers in Gaelic, concluding: "may God bless the people of Scotland".