Tens of thousands fill St. Peter's Square to show support for pope

Published: 2008-01-21

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Tens of thousands of Romans filled St. Peter's Square in a show of support for Pope Benedict XVI, three days after he canceled a university appearance because of protests. When the pope appeared at his apartment window for the noon blessing Jan. 20, he was met with a long cheer from the people in the square. Crowd estimates ranged from 100,000 to 200,000. The Diocese of Rome had urged people to turn out in great numbers to demonstrate support for the pontiff. The crowd included political leaders, students and families, many of them carrying homemade signs. "Free to listen to you!" proclaimed one banner held aloft by university students.

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