Pope Paul rides in jeep to open-air audience

From MICHAEL WILSON hi ROME Pope Paul rode, standing, through St Peter's Square last Friday in an open blue Japanese jeep to come closer to some 150,000 pilgrims from all over the world. It was his first open-air public audience, intended to bring him into more personal contact with the huge numbers of pilgrims flocking into Rome for the Holy Year and has set the scene for future weekly public audiences.
So great was the press of pilgrims and visitors round the dais from which the Pope spoke that the Knights of Malta Ambulance crews later reported that 160 people had fainted in the heat and been carried away over the heads of the crowd for first aid.
This first open-air audience was held on a nationwide holiday called to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Italy. And the Pope told the crowd that they should make this Holy Year one of "inner awakening."
He added: "The Holy Year should be above all an awakening, an inner awakening, a search to find oneself with the guidance of the Roman Light."
He called for self-analysis, saying: "We are once again stalked by the ancient command which closely pursues us: know thyself. Holy Year puts the command in the guise of a question: Do you know yourself? What do you know about yourself? Who are you? Are you a Christian? And what does it mean to be a Christian?"
The Pope drew a parallel between the Holy Year pilgrimage to the shrines of the Apostles and climbing a staircase: "At the first step it is written: Be aware of yourself, your existence, your life. Why are we living? What is the real and essential goal of life? Examine your own conscience: Wake up!" Pope Paul's decision to hold this open-air audience for huge crowds that may top 200,000 on some days was taken because of the limited space available in the Audience Hall.
Recently he has been holding three audiences on Wednesday — in the Audience Hall, in St Peter's and in the open San Damasos Courtyard within the Apostolic Palace. Even so he could only speak to some 35,000 persons.
Again, according to Vatican officials, the decision to use a small jeep instead of his own large pontifical limousine with the throne in the rear seat was because the jeep flooring was higher and more people could see him. This met complaints that he was scarcely visible when walking through the Audience Hall.
Vaiican officials stated that the Pope would hold these open-air audiences regularly through the remainder of the year's fine weather. Plans are being made for him to be flown by helicopter for these audiences during the two summer months — usually July 15 to September 15 — when he takes up summer residence at the Papal villa in Castelgandolfo, overlooking Lake Albano.
"Present plans call for him to take off from the grounds of Castelgandolfo and land in the Vatican City on a special helicopter pad near the Grotto of Lourdes," said one of these officials.
"Pope Paul will almost certainly fly in for the weekly Wednesday audience since it would be obviously impossible for him to greet such huge crowds of Holy Year pilgrims at Castelgandolfo. And most probably he would also fly in on Sunday for the morning Mass in the Basilica of St Peter's and for the Angelus blessing from his study window," he added.