Mardi Gras plans unveiled for papal visit to Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS is getting ready for the Pope's September visit with its habitual pizzazzevery trapping worthy of a Mardi Gras will be unleashed on the Polish pontiff when he sets foot in the Louisiana city.
The New Orleans area, which has the highest percentage of black Catholics in the US, will welcome the Pope on September 11-13 with a youth rally at its huge Superdome. More than 70,000 youths are expected to attend the rally, which will feature a series of mini floats, music, banners and ethnic costumes.
Archbishop Philip Hannan of New Orleans said that the Pope's address to American black Catholics will take place during his three day stop over in New Orleans,: "It was so natural to decide where to speak to black Catholics" the Archbishop said, "There's no place but here."
Louisiana's auxiliary bishop, Terry Steib of St Louis, said that black Catholics seek to "make the Pope aware of who black Catholics are and what role they want to play", Bishop Steib also stressed that the black Catholic community in the US is hoping that Pope John Paull II will "let (them) know he views their culture and expression of faith as meaningful to the universal church."
During the papal visit, Pope John Paul II is expected to visit the predominantly black Cathiilic college, Xavier College. The executive director of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Ursuline Sr Alice Gallin, sail that she saw the visit as at opportunity for the "celebration" of Catholic higher education.
A New Orleans tradition—King Cake—will also be unwrappedfor the Pope's delight at the youth rally. The Cake, named after the Thre Kings, is baked with a toka representing the Baby Jesus inside it.