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Thousands Descend on St. Peter's Square to Celebrate Pope's Silver Anniversary

Aired October 15, 2003 - 10:36   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: Want to show you some really interesting pictures that we have here. There's Alessio. He's live in St. Peter's Square.
In Vatican City thousands of people were filling the square today for the pope's general weekly audience. Alessio, we couldn't wait. We wanted to show from above Vatican City, but we have the picture we need right here. So you take it from right within St. Peter's Square.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: That's correct, Daryn. Welcome to St. Peter's Square at the heart of Vatican City. It is from this very square that a few hours ago pope John Paul II held his weekly general audience, this time for tens of thousands of pilgrims whose flocked Rome and St. Peter's Square because of the 25th anniversary of his pontificate.

The pope appeared in his now very famous Pope-Mobile, his open deck car, surrounded, of course, by Swiss (ph) guards and security agents. The pope took a tour of the square before reaching his altar. The pope not always does this kind of tour but it's a good indication that if he was put in that car, he does feel much better these days. He is of course looking forward to a long series of celebrations.

The pope did address the pilgrims in many languages today including English. He thanks the tens of thousands of pilgrims who arrived here in Rome. The pope did speak with a strong voice, stronger than in recent days. There is of course a lot of concerns about the frail health. He did take some long pauses. The pope does have some difficulties at time to speak. But today we did see him in relatively good form.

Now just to give you an idea where I'm standing, this is, as I said, the very center of the Vatican, the St. Peter's Square, surrounded on both sides by the Bernini columns, topped by statues of former popes and saints. And it is here in St. Peter's Square that just about 24 hours from now, Pope John Paul II will begin to celebrate his mass -- a mass to commemorate, to celebrate, his 25th anniversary of pontificate.

As you can see here, on my right-hand side, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of chairs because, of course, many of the pilgrims that have been invited to come here, they have tickets to come here. Not only pilgrims, of course, there will be also dignitaries from all around the world, of course people from his native Poland, the president of Poland is expected to be here, a long with a former president, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), a U.S. delegation led by Columba Bush, the sister-in-law of the president of the United States.

And as you can see over there, there is already the platform that stays there all the time. But tomorrow morning perhaps in the early morning hours, Vatican workers will set up the altar from where the pope will celebrate the mass.

And just above that platform is the very balcony where 25 years ago tomorrow, Karol Wojtyla, the first non-Italian pope in 455 years, emerged from that window surrounded by the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and by some aides to announce to the world he had taken the name of John Paul II. Again, the first non-Italian pope in 455 years, the first pope to travel so extensively around the world.

And that is why so many people from around the world come here in St. Peter's Square just to see and greet him. Back to you, Daryn.

KAGAN: Alessio, it has been an incredible and an historic papacy. thank you for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Pope's Silver Anniversary>


Aired October 15, 2003 - 10:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Want to show you some really interesting pictures that we have here. There's Alessio. He's live in St. Peter's Square.
In Vatican City thousands of people were filling the square today for the pope's general weekly audience. Alessio, we couldn't wait. We wanted to show from above Vatican City, but we have the picture we need right here. So you take it from right within St. Peter's Square.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: That's correct, Daryn. Welcome to St. Peter's Square at the heart of Vatican City. It is from this very square that a few hours ago pope John Paul II held his weekly general audience, this time for tens of thousands of pilgrims whose flocked Rome and St. Peter's Square because of the 25th anniversary of his pontificate.

The pope appeared in his now very famous Pope-Mobile, his open deck car, surrounded, of course, by Swiss (ph) guards and security agents. The pope took a tour of the square before reaching his altar. The pope not always does this kind of tour but it's a good indication that if he was put in that car, he does feel much better these days. He is of course looking forward to a long series of celebrations.

The pope did address the pilgrims in many languages today including English. He thanks the tens of thousands of pilgrims who arrived here in Rome. The pope did speak with a strong voice, stronger than in recent days. There is of course a lot of concerns about the frail health. He did take some long pauses. The pope does have some difficulties at time to speak. But today we did see him in relatively good form.

Now just to give you an idea where I'm standing, this is, as I said, the very center of the Vatican, the St. Peter's Square, surrounded on both sides by the Bernini columns, topped by statues of former popes and saints. And it is here in St. Peter's Square that just about 24 hours from now, Pope John Paul II will begin to celebrate his mass -- a mass to commemorate, to celebrate, his 25th anniversary of pontificate.

As you can see here, on my right-hand side, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of chairs because, of course, many of the pilgrims that have been invited to come here, they have tickets to come here. Not only pilgrims, of course, there will be also dignitaries from all around the world, of course people from his native Poland, the president of Poland is expected to be here, a long with a former president, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), a U.S. delegation led by Columba Bush, the sister-in-law of the president of the United States.

And as you can see over there, there is already the platform that stays there all the time. But tomorrow morning perhaps in the early morning hours, Vatican workers will set up the altar from where the pope will celebrate the mass.

And just above that platform is the very balcony where 25 years ago tomorrow, Karol Wojtyla, the first non-Italian pope in 455 years, emerged from that window surrounded by the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and by some aides to announce to the world he had taken the name of John Paul II. Again, the first non-Italian pope in 455 years, the first pope to travel so extensively around the world.

And that is why so many people from around the world come here in St. Peter's Square just to see and greet him. Back to you, Daryn.

KAGAN: Alessio, it has been an incredible and an historic papacy. thank you for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Pope's Silver Anniversary>