Buoyed by cheers, frail pope kicks off 25th anniversary celebrations

Published: 2003-10-15

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Buoyed by the cheers of pilgrims and serenaded by Polish choirs, a frail Pope John Paul II kicked off 25th anniversary celebrations with a reflection on prayer and divine grace. Addressing some 20,000 people in St. Peter's Square Oct. 15, the pope spoke about the value of evening prayer for modern Catholics. Then he greeted a seemingly endless line of cardinals, bishops, dignitaries and the sick -- many of whom brought a gift for the occasion. The general audience was the first official event of a weeklong calendar of ceremonies and liturgies to mark the anniversary of the pope's election Oct. 16, 1978. For the occasion, the Vatican's Web site (www.vatican.va) invited people around the world to send greetings to the pope at his e-mail address: john_paul_ii@vatican.va. The 83-year-old pontiff rode through a crowded St. Peter's Square seated on a throne in an open jeep, looking alert and waving to the thousands of cheering well-wishers.

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