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CNN Live Today

Pope Rests in Canada; Interview With Devotees

Aired July 24, 2002 - 11:27   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We move on to Canada, where Pope John Paul II is resting today ahead of tomorrow's welcoming ceremony at World Youth Day. More than 200,000 young people are gathered in Toronto for the festival, including our own young Frank Buckley. He is there as well and joins us this morning.

Frank -- good morning.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

The age cutoff they are saying for the young people is 35, so I just -- I'm just on the bubble, just on the wrong side of that number. But still, I appreciate your calling me a young person.

We are here in Toronto. John Paul II enjoying his first vacation outside of Italy in his 23 years as pope. As you say, he's on Strawberry Island just north of Toronto.

Yesterday, he arrived amid concerns about concerns about his health. He is 82 years old, suffering from Parkinson's disease, severe arthritis. We were told he would not be coming down the steps of the aircraft, but would instead disembark from the back on a scissor's lift. But the pope surprised everyone, coming down instead those front steps, each one of the 27 steps on his own, walking all the way down to the bottom. One of the emotional moments that was experienced by many of the people who were here and who were at that hangar to experience that.

Once inside the hangar at the airport, the pope made brief remarks, and then some of the guests that were inside the hangar had an opportunity to meet the pope.

One of the most special moments there was when a 10-year-old -- that we would like to share with you with now. A 10-year-old, Georgia from -- Georgia Giddings from Basseville, Ontario, had an opportunity to meet the pope. It was a very emotional moment for her. She then ran into the arms of a friend. And let me show you the front page of the "National Post" today. There she is, Georgia. The quote there that's attributed to her, "I told him I loved him, and he said it back."

And we are lucky enough to be joined now by Georgia and mom, Alicia (ph), and dad, Paul.

Georgia, first, tell me what that moment was like for you.

GEORGIA GIDDINGS, KISSED THE POPE: It was very surprising. It's hard to explain, but it was like I was a new person and it was very special to me.

BUCKLEY: And we were talking earlier, you don't have Britney Spears posters on your walls. You have pope posters. Many 10-year- olds would be surprised to hear that. Why do you have pope posters on your wall at home?

G. GIDDINGS: Well, in the last millennium, I saw the pope on the TV, and I just fell in love with him. And ever since, I have had carpets of him, posters of him, and I guess it's just become a theme.

BUCKLEY: You were telling me that there is a special story about how you found out that you were going to be going. What's that story?

Georgia, go ahead and tell me the story.

G. GIDDINGS: Well, first I was sitting on the couch, and there was stuff -- I was just coloring. And then I -- the phone rang, so my aunt ran and got it. My mom was in the shower at the moment. And Father Bill (ph) called. My mom was full of soap. And he said, "I need to speak to Alicia (ph) urgently." And so my aunt went to go get my mom. And my mom said, "I'm covered in soap." And then Tarene (ph) said, "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, you have to come out, you have to come out."

So she came out, got on the phone. Father Bill (ph) said, "Are you sitting down?" She said, "No, I'm full of soap." And then he said, "How would you like to go meet the pope?" And she said, "Yes." But I -- at the moment, I thought somebody got hurt.

And then she said, "Come here, Georgie," and we all went outside, my nanny and papa and my aunt, we were all there. And she said, "Georgie and I are going to see the pope."

And that's how we found out, and I just -- I don't know how to react when stuff like that happens, so I just stood there and started crying.

BUCKLEY: That's a lovely story. Thank you, Georgie.

And let me just quickly ask mom and dad. You guys must have been proud when you saw that moment.

PAUL GIDDINGS, FATHER: Very proud. I was down here at scene. Yes, I wasn't fortunate to be there. But I was amongst the crowds here. And I saw her kiss Pope John Paul II, and I just -- I wept. I was crying openly, and the people that were with us were also. It was so emotional. I was so proud, and it's been a lot of hard work to get here for us, and God is good. He gave us a very special gift.

BUCKLEY: All right. Well, they are telling me to wrap it up. So the Giddings family, I want to thank you all very much. You guys are great, and thanks for letting us share in the moment with you. Daryn -- we'll throw it back to you.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Boy, that's incredible, great shot, a great one.

KAGAN: Yes, thank you, Frank, for that.

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