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American Morning
Pope Flew to Pompeii This Morning
Aired October 07, 2003 - 07:24 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The pope flew to Pompeii this morning to pray for world peace at the shrine of the Virgin Mary. The trip by the 83-year-old pontiff, who suffers from Parkinson's Disease and arthritis, surprised many people who thought he was too ill to travel.
CNN's Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci is live for us in Italy's capital with more on the health of the pope -- Alessio, good morning.
Thanks for joining us.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning to you, Soledad.
Well, the pope's trip to Pompeii surprised only those who keep saying that every time he travels outside of the Vatican it would be his last trip. I've been traveling, covering the pope, for the last two and a half years, taking many trips abroad. And every time we travel, there are reports that this, that will be his last trip. And, again today, the pope did travel to Pompeii, a short helicopter ride from the Vatican.
He arrived there with the helicopter then hopped on his pope mobile, the open deck pope mobile. And when he went through the crowd, that's where he -- it seems, really, the people drawing his energy -- this is a pope that really likes to be in contact with the crowds and that appears to be where he really draws his energy.
When it came down, though, to the time where he had to deliver his speech, he had some difficulty in finishing up his remarks. He did miss some portions of his written remarks. But in the end, supported by the crowd, who really chanted a lot of songs of support for him. The people did, really, in the end, appears buoyed by the crowd and, indeed, managed to finish his two and a half hour ceremony down in Pompeii.
Pompeii, of course, a very important place for this pope. He went there for the first time back in 1979, when he was first elected pope. He returns almost 25 years later, more than 25 -- 25 years later. There is a shrine there dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary very important for this pope. He has really made it a pillar of his papacy. It is the Virgin Mary, the pope believes, that saved his life back in 1981 when he was shot in St. Peter's Square -- back to you, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, Alessio Vinci.
And, of course, for many folks, a surprising trip considering the pope's health.
Thank you for that update and that report.
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 7, 2003 - 07:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The pope flew to Pompeii this morning to pray for world peace at the shrine of the Virgin Mary. The trip by the 83-year-old pontiff, who suffers from Parkinson's Disease and arthritis, surprised many people who thought he was too ill to travel.
CNN's Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci is live for us in Italy's capital with more on the health of the pope -- Alessio, good morning.
Thanks for joining us.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning to you, Soledad.
Well, the pope's trip to Pompeii surprised only those who keep saying that every time he travels outside of the Vatican it would be his last trip. I've been traveling, covering the pope, for the last two and a half years, taking many trips abroad. And every time we travel, there are reports that this, that will be his last trip. And, again today, the pope did travel to Pompeii, a short helicopter ride from the Vatican.
He arrived there with the helicopter then hopped on his pope mobile, the open deck pope mobile. And when he went through the crowd, that's where he -- it seems, really, the people drawing his energy -- this is a pope that really likes to be in contact with the crowds and that appears to be where he really draws his energy.
When it came down, though, to the time where he had to deliver his speech, he had some difficulty in finishing up his remarks. He did miss some portions of his written remarks. But in the end, supported by the crowd, who really chanted a lot of songs of support for him. The people did, really, in the end, appears buoyed by the crowd and, indeed, managed to finish his two and a half hour ceremony down in Pompeii.
Pompeii, of course, a very important place for this pope. He went there for the first time back in 1979, when he was first elected pope. He returns almost 25 years later, more than 25 -- 25 years later. There is a shrine there dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary very important for this pope. He has really made it a pillar of his papacy. It is the Virgin Mary, the pope believes, that saved his life back in 1981 when he was shot in St. Peter's Square -- back to you, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, Alessio Vinci.
And, of course, for many folks, a surprising trip considering the pope's health.
Thank you for that update and that report.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
