Hill-top hideaway found by marines

WHEN it comes to summer getaways, Pope John Paul II is a traditionalist. Like almost every one of his predecessors since 1624, the Pope heads for the hills; fleeing the suminer swelter of Rome for the cool of the papal palace in Castel Gandolfo.
Perched in the Alban hills surrounding Lake Albano, Castel Gandolfo has been a historic retreat for Romans seeking ways to beat the heat. Originally known as Alba Longa, the town was settled before the founding of Rome, with whom it eventually lost a struggle for regional dominance. But the victorious Romans appreciated the cool breezes of the region, and the present papal palace is located on the site of the Roman Emperor Domitian's first-century summer villa.
Castel Gandolfo today bears the name of a wealthy Genoa family, the Gandulfi, who built a castle there in 816. Eventually the town became part of the papal holdings, and in the 17th century Pope Urban VIII ordered the construction of a summer palace.
The spacious grounds of the papal palace dominate the hill, and the dome of the Vatican Observatory located in the grounds can be seen for miles. When the palace grounds are combined with two other Vatican-owned villas nearby, the Pope has about 100 acres of wooded walks, fountains, neatly trimmed lawns and, above all, peace and quiet.
Earlier popes would arrive in Castel Gandolfo by carriage or car, and some of the town's 4,000 residents recall lining up to greet Pope Pius XII when he arrived for his summer repose. Today, however, the Vatican's most well-travelled Pope uses a helicopter to hop to and from Vatican City, 15 miles to the north-west.
While there is little chance for anyone other than papal aides and guests to enter the palace grounds, one exception is the regular Sunday Angelus address. Pigrims arriving in the town's main square early enough on summer Sundays are admitted to a courtyard just inside the palace, where they can experience a relatively intimate glimpse of the Pope as he prays the Angelus and jokes with the crowd. Only about 1,000 people are allowed into the courtyard when doors open at I lam.
On a recent Sunday the surge of people onto the palace grounds included a group of Catholics from St Louis on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Yugoslavia; about 100 officers and men from the US Sixth Fleet stationed in Naples; a Spanish folk-dancing group complete with castanets; several groups of guitar-wielding pilgrims trying to outsing each other in a cacaphony of praise; and a retinue of trumpet-bearing Gandolfans dressed in medieval costume.
While waiting for the Pope, a group of Filipino nuns serenaded the crowd with Marian songs in English and Italian, intermittently stilled by an exhuberant youth group from Mexico and then finally drowned out completely by the castanets of the Spaniards as they spontaneously danced before a bemused group of Vatican security officials and Swiss Guards.
At the stroke of noon, and preceded by a royal flourish of Gandolfan trumpets, the Pope stepped out onto a shaded second floor balcony draped with a tapestry bearing the papal coat of arms. He was greeted by prolonged applause and a flutter of flags and banners.
Before praying the Angelus, the Pope briefly addressed the crowd. Often he speaks several weeks in a row on a specific theme, such as the role of the laity or Marian shrines around the world.
A woman in the crowd shouted out "Viva II papa," and the general air of festivity quickly was restored. Because relatively few people are in the courtyard — far fewer than the 7,000 to 10,000 who show up for his Wednesday general audiences in Vatican City — the Pope is more likely to joke with the crowd and greet tiny groups. Off-the-cuff remarks to the large number of Spanishspeaking pilgrims and to a group of 10 Polish nuns drew cheers and applause. When he saluted a Portuguese group which apparently never made it, the silence following his words of welcome provoked laughter from Pope and visitors.
The intimacy of the courtyard was relative, however. "I thought I was going to get to shake the guy's hand," said one disappointed US sailor filing out at the end of the audience.
The town of Castel Gandolfo is proud of its role as summer host of the popes. Drinking coffee in a cafe in the shadow of the palace, one resident boasted that the town always votes Christian Democrat, the Italian party with the closest political ties to the Church; this despite the fact that the rest of the Alban hills usually votes Communist or Socialist.
But if this Pope is mindful of the traditions associated with his summer getaway, he does not mind introducing a few of his own as well. Early in his pontificate, he had a large pool built on the grounds of the papal palace. Now every morning the 67-year-old Pope keeps in shape by swimming.
The cost of the pool, the athletic-minded Pope once remarked, is cheaper than electing a new pontiff.
Greg Erlandson