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SMEETA MISHRA PANDEY & SUNETRA CHOUDHURY
NEW DELHI, NOV 7: A union of faiths on this Diwali day marked the Papal mass at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium today. For three and a half hours, a 70,000-strong crowd participated in the mass while the city police ensured that no stray incident took place.
The Pontiff's entry on the Pope Mobile was announced by a voiced filled with excitement, ``The moment that you have been waiting for...Please welcome Sant Papa with clapping.'' And they did. The Pope took a round of the stadium with his hand slightly lifted and his audience was thrilled. The gay music accompanied by clapping made spirits soar - children were perched on shoulders, women climbed on chairs and everyone joined in giving him a good hearty welcome.
The Pope came on stage on a hydraulic lift. As he has not been keeping well, the organisers made sure he did not have to climb the steps onto the stage. The Pope took his place on stage between two pairs of hands - a pair of hands in the front were stretched towards heaven in prayer and another pairof folded hands at the back were holding a 45 feet high white cross.
The Holy Father took his place on a special Papal chair, shielded from the sun by a white shade. Seated beside him were archbishops and priests. The Papal chair was the converging point of the stadium. ``Symbolic of the fact that he is the head of the Catholic church, he is sitting right at the centre of the stadium,'' said Archbishop Alan de Lastic.
The crowds started arriving upto two hours in advance. Coupled with the cool morning air, the demeanour of each and everyone made for a serene atmosphere.Thousands of policemen deployed around the stadium ensured that the ceremony went off sans protests. Senior police officers including DCPs and additional CPs kept vigil at the exit and entrance gates to the stadium.
With guaranteed security, the Papal address went off peacefully. The Pope said, ``My heart's filled with joy as I meet you after 13 years'' the Holy Father said. ``I am grateful to God and to all of you for receiving me withsuch enthusiasm. God bless India. God bless Asia.''
The Holy See paid rich tributes to Mother Teresa and wanted the church not to forget her witness of evangelical love particularly for the poor and the depressed. She loved India and she is with the people of India for ever, the Pontiff said.
Organisers left no stone unturned to inculcate Indian traditions in the mass, which began with a tribal dance when women dressed in khadi silk sarees performed to a traditional beat. The was applause when Delhi archbishop Alan de Lastic welcomed the Pope in Hindi: ``Abhinandan. Is pujaniya Deepavali mahotsav par mein aap ka snehamayi swagat karta hun. Aap hamare athiti hain aur hamare samaj mein atithi devo bhava.''
What made the mass unique was the special adaptation for India in the form of a triple arati. These was a pushpa arati, waving a tray of flowers with deepak in the centre; a dhupa arati, homage of incense; and a deepa arati, homage of light waving a camphor fire, to the accompaniment of a Tamil songand ringing of bells. As Father Ignatius, one of the organisers, explained that the theme of the day's service was Diwali, the psalms were based on `Children of the Light'. The children who had been selected for altar service ranged from those in junior school to some who were even working. Dressed in white and red, they talked excitedly hoping that it all goes off well. ``I want to have a chat with the Pope,'' said one who wouldn't reveal what it would be about.
Collegians took the role of volunteers. Mini Brown and Sheeja Gracien said, ``We wanted to be part of this occasion – and this was the best way to do so.'' Some of them even claimed to have been introduced to the Pope at the Vatican embassy - ``These are the special privileges that you get if you are an usher,'' said Zinetta Roberts. While at the beginning of the day, they were most energetic, the sun and increasing heat sapped their strength by the end.
There was a deafening roar of applause when the Pope bid farewell in Hindi- Sab ko ashirvaad.Bharat ko ashirvad. Shanti. It seemed that the event had chased away ghosts of all the controversy preceding the Papal visit.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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This story was printed from Net Express located at http://www.expressindia.com. Net Express provides a portal to India, with news from The Indian Express and The Financial Express along with sites on travel and tourism, the entertainment industry, the power sector, the environment and much more.
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