Archbishop Conti definitely more a unionist than Cardinal O'Brien. Conti reminds the crowd that Christianity arrived "before Scotland and England came into being". O'Brien drapes the Pontiff in a tartan scarf. Every kid in Edinburgh had a saltire.
The biggest cheer of the night came as the Pope left and stopped to bless a little boy with cancer interviewed by Jackie Bird the night before on Reporting Scotland.
Bumped into Professor Tom Devine, Scotland's leading historian, as we both gatecrashed the photographers' platform for a better view. He endorses my Scotsman column asserting that Scotland owes its statehood to the Catholic Church. Most relieved.
Glad I got a plug in for Mary's Meals on Five Live. They feed 400,000 kids in the developing world at school. Often this is the only way they get an education.
The Vat Pack (ok, international journalists) were sustained by complimentary Tunnocks Caramel wafers. The food of life?
The gold Papal Vestments were pure show biz, though I did think of Fellini for a second.
The crowd is not just smaller than 1982, but more varied. Spoke to Poles and Filipinos, lots of African families. Took leaflets from Sri Lankans protesting at the persecution of Catholic Tamils in their homeland.
Mass in the park not so easy for a crowd of 50,000 with about 2000 deckchairs between them. What do you do when ritual demands you kneel or sit? The most devout got muddy knees. I think they were Polish.
James MacMillan's sung Mass was incredibly moving as was all the music. Glad they sang Soul of My Saviour and included so much Gaelic and Latin.
Loved the Father who, descending from the altar after the Pontiff left, pulled out his mobile to photograph the crowd. The priests who distributed Communion were all accompanied by funky teenagers holding gold umbrellas.Quite a sight
I visited Bellahouston as a non catholic with my wife who is. I was so moved by the atmosphere and paticularly the music. The penny whistle, as I am told it was had the hairs on the back of my neck standin on and.
Glasgow well done !!!!!
Pure ded Brilliant !
Posted by: j mcgurk | September 17, 2010 at 11:38 AM