Pope John Paul II held audiences in a large auditorium on Wednesdays. I decided to go check
one out, especially as the Pope was in failing health and this was likely to be my last
chance to see him. He had cancelled an overseas trip and was cutting back on appearances.
I went a few days in advance and got a ticket. This required asking one of the Swiss Guards
where to obtain said ticket. On the morning of the event, I dressed in pants and a light
jacket. This resulted in a great deal of sweating as it was quite warm and the place was
packed. We went through the columns to the left of the Piazza in front of St. Peter's, and
through the metal detectors. I should have arrived earlier, as the place was pretty full
and there was only standing room in the back.
The audience was interesting. The Pope gave blessings in English, French, Italian, and German, and possibly a couple of other languages I missed. He blessed brides and all holy objects brought to the audience. I had picked up a small rosary for Becca, figuring it never hurts to have a rosary blessed by the Pope. The Cardinals would then call out the names of various groups that had come, and the group would stand up and sing a quick Psalm. Other than the extremely rude people around me who kept trying to muscle their way forward, it was a pretty jovial crowd.