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CNN Live At Daybreak

Pope John Paul Presides Over Mass

Aired October 20, 2003 - 06:35   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: At the Vatican, it's all about Mother Teresa on the fast track to becoming St. Teresa. Pope John Paul has just addressed a mass for her followers; that ceremony following Mother Teresa's beatification.
Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci live from the Vatican from Vatican City right now.

Good morning.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning to you, Carol.

Well, it felt as if the rich, the poor, the pilgrims or just simple tourists, just everybody who was in Rome yesterday had converged in St. Peter's Square. It was a beautiful day yesterday. It is very windy and rainy today.

But the crowd was estimated yesterday, according to police officials, a quarter of a million people -- one of the largest crowds ever in St. Peter's Square, certainly the largest this year.

Pope John Paul II presided over the solemn ceremony that at times included a colorful mix of ethnic dancers and music, together with some more traditional Catholic prayers, really a rare mix on the ground of St. Peter's Square yesterday.

And perhaps the most significant moment of this ceremony was, of course, when the pope read aloud the beatification formula, saying in Latin: "With our apostolic authority, we grant that the venerable servant of God, Teresa of Kolkata, shall from now on be called blessed" -- a formula read again in Latin.

All the while, a giant portrait of her was being unveiled to the cheers of some, and some tears also, the tens of thousands of pilgrims who had flocked to St. Peter's Square. And we also see some of the sisters belonging to the Missionaries of Charities, the group that was found by Mother Teresa, wiping away some tears from their face -- obviously a very emotional moment for them.

Mother Teresa's beatification ceremony, of course, took place as the Vatican celebrated the 25th anniversary of John Paul II's pontificate. And the city of Rome last night, at the end of the ceremony, organized a stunning display of fireworks. Really, I've been here in Rome a few years, and I've rarely seen such a beautiful show. It was, again, a beautiful evening last night. And the pope, from the study of his apartment, watched it sitting on his floor. And it was really a remarkable moment.

COSTELLO: Oh, that looks so beautiful, Alessio. You know, Mother Teresa is -- I don't know how to put it -- but she's quite a star. I understand there's a musical, a Mother Teresa musical, and you can also buy a number of keepsakes there.

VINCI: It’s a fervor -- there's a Mother Teresa fervor in Rome these days. There is a musical. Everywhere you walk around the Vatican, every bookstore, every souvenir seller, sells these kinds of little statuettes. There is also a statue on sale for $1,600, I've seen.

Now, of course, the problem is that most of the people who venerate Mother Teresa now are poor people, people who cannot really afford these kinds of costs and prices. And therefore, some of the shopkeepers were complaining that the prices were too high.

COSTELLO: Alessio Vinci live from Vatican City this morning. Many thanks. We appreciate it.

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






Aired October 20, 2003 - 06:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: At the Vatican, it's all about Mother Teresa on the fast track to becoming St. Teresa. Pope John Paul has just addressed a mass for her followers; that ceremony following Mother Teresa's beatification.
Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci live from the Vatican from Vatican City right now.

Good morning.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning to you, Carol.

Well, it felt as if the rich, the poor, the pilgrims or just simple tourists, just everybody who was in Rome yesterday had converged in St. Peter's Square. It was a beautiful day yesterday. It is very windy and rainy today.

But the crowd was estimated yesterday, according to police officials, a quarter of a million people -- one of the largest crowds ever in St. Peter's Square, certainly the largest this year.

Pope John Paul II presided over the solemn ceremony that at times included a colorful mix of ethnic dancers and music, together with some more traditional Catholic prayers, really a rare mix on the ground of St. Peter's Square yesterday.

And perhaps the most significant moment of this ceremony was, of course, when the pope read aloud the beatification formula, saying in Latin: "With our apostolic authority, we grant that the venerable servant of God, Teresa of Kolkata, shall from now on be called blessed" -- a formula read again in Latin.

All the while, a giant portrait of her was being unveiled to the cheers of some, and some tears also, the tens of thousands of pilgrims who had flocked to St. Peter's Square. And we also see some of the sisters belonging to the Missionaries of Charities, the group that was found by Mother Teresa, wiping away some tears from their face -- obviously a very emotional moment for them.

Mother Teresa's beatification ceremony, of course, took place as the Vatican celebrated the 25th anniversary of John Paul II's pontificate. And the city of Rome last night, at the end of the ceremony, organized a stunning display of fireworks. Really, I've been here in Rome a few years, and I've rarely seen such a beautiful show. It was, again, a beautiful evening last night. And the pope, from the study of his apartment, watched it sitting on his floor. And it was really a remarkable moment.

COSTELLO: Oh, that looks so beautiful, Alessio. You know, Mother Teresa is -- I don't know how to put it -- but she's quite a star. I understand there's a musical, a Mother Teresa musical, and you can also buy a number of keepsakes there.

VINCI: It’s a fervor -- there's a Mother Teresa fervor in Rome these days. There is a musical. Everywhere you walk around the Vatican, every bookstore, every souvenir seller, sells these kinds of little statuettes. There is also a statue on sale for $1,600, I've seen.

Now, of course, the problem is that most of the people who venerate Mother Teresa now are poor people, people who cannot really afford these kinds of costs and prices. And therefore, some of the shopkeepers were complaining that the prices were too high.

COSTELLO: Alessio Vinci live from Vatican City this morning. Many thanks. We appreciate it.

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