Cycling champions in audience
THE singing of "Faith of Our Fathers," coming from the midst of a gathering of pilgrims from more than 30 European countries, attracted the special attention of the Holy Father during a general audience at the Papal summer villa at Castel Gandolfo on Saturday.
The singers were the Rosminian pilgrims, a group of students from Westeliff-on-Sea and a St. Christopher Club group.
The Holy Father came repeatedly to the balcony and to the window overlooking the town square to respond to the cheers and give his blessing.
On Monday 'the Pope gave a special audience to the riders and organisers of the World Cycling ChampIanship which was run on the Frascati course in the Alban Hills. a short distance from Castel Gandolfo.
Louison Bohet, winner of the last three 'tours de France, was presented to His Holiness, and the president of the Belgian federation received from the Pope a special medal for the new world champion, Stan Ockers.
From the throne in the Swiss Hall the Holy Father addressed each national group in their own language, and then each member of the teams knelt before the throne to receive a commemorative medal.
The cyclists had a present for the Pope, too. The presidents of the international and the Italian cycling unions gave His Holiness a chalice.