{UAH} Pope's very busy fortnight of stiff activity!

Since Palm Sunday ( 13/04/2014 ) up to next Sunday ( 27 /04/ 2014 ) the 76-year old Pontif hasn't
and won't have an occasion to rest! Palm Sunday opened that hectic Holy Week with all the liturgy
attached on it and with all the incessant vast crowds following the great Pope wherever he moves and
in whatever he does. His Wednesday 16 April general public audience drew pilgrims from all over the
world and the whole St Peter's Square was filled almost to full capacity by the tens of thousands of people
present. Thursday April 17 ( Holy Thursday ) with all its rich liturgy drew crowds wherever the Pope performed
a ceremony and was very wildly cheered in churches, on streets, etc.. Holy Friday, April 18, was the traditional
Stations of the Cross at the Coliseum. It was cold and windy and yet over 70,000 pilgrims were there with the Pope
to commemorate Christ's passion, and they madly cheered the Pope's words at the end of the service. He was
equally cheered throughout Rome as he was driven in his small black Fiat. Holy Saturday, April 19 thousands packed the vast St Peter's Basilica for the Easter Vigil Mass during which holy servce Pope Francis appealed to Christians to reconvert and march in Christ's holy steps.He baptized 10 catechumens aged between 8 to 58 years, and among them a French lady aged 44.There were many baptisms administered on that nigt throughout the world. In Paris 400 adults were baptized. As usual Africa is again likely to set a new record with more than half of the total Holy Saturday baptisms registered on the Black Continent alone. Then there was Easter Sunday, April 20, and the Pope said mass in St Peter's Square and in the end delivered his Easter message followed by the Urbi et Orbi Blessing witnessed by an estimated 350,000 pilgrms who overboarded the entire Square and extended almost towards River Tiber, a quarter of a mile away. The whole Mass was televised live on Mondovision
and watched by close to 2 billion viewers all over the world. Easter Monday, April 21, the Pope appeared in the window of his study to recite the Easter season Regina Caeli prayer. An estimated 200,000- strong crowd had already gathered for the prayer! Among the vast crowds one could see arrivals for the canonization ceremony of the two Popes on Sunday April 27.The crowds,continuing to flock Rome, gave another very sizeable impact on the

turn-out for the weekly Wednesday general audience on April 23, St George's feast day (the Pope's patron saint).

In spite of the rain, which forced the Pope to meet the sick and the elderly in the big Pope Paul VI Auditorium, an

estimated 200,000 people gathered in the Square to meet him. Among them there were very many French pilgrims

who had already arrived for the canonization. And there was a pilgrimage from New Caledonia! the Pope spoke of

the resurrection as an assurance for our holy destiny.

The Pope is now very busy with arrangements for this coming Sunday's very great historical event which many now call the feast of the four Popes : two to be canonized and two to witness the canonization, Pope Francis and Pope

Benedict XVI who has expressed his intention to be present.It will indeed be a great moment that has drawn pilgrims from all over the globe. Very many African delegations are pouring in to honour the two Popes who loved and did so much to Africa. Pope John XXIII gave us the first cardinal and his Vatican II reforms have enabled the Church in Africa to be a very vibrant force admired all over the world. Pope John Paul fought many battles for us including chasing away apartheid. And the number of occasions he visited Africa, and the way he promoted the African Church and clergy to great heights! All these are things that are pushing Africans both on the continent and in diaspora to travel to Rome now. And very many have arrived including a delegation from Kisubi to represent our Ugandan Reverend Brothers of Christian Instruction. They arrived a day following the arrival of a Kenyan delegation

said to include some of the world's best athletes! All these will be part of the millions that will follow the ceremony in the Square ( for the lucky ones) and on the 15 mega-screens erected all over Rome. St Peter's Square and the  immediate adjacent areas will contain 800,000 pilgrims. Some have opted to staying in their homes or hotels where they will count among the more than two billion televiewers who will follow the events on Mondovision.

The Square will also seat the 65 official state delegations from all over the world including 19 heads of state. Paul Biya of Cameroon is already on the way. France will be represented by the new premier, Mr Manuel Valls. He will count among the 25 Prime Ministers who will be present.

Over 120,000 French pilgrims including many school children and students on Easter holiday are said to be shooting to Rome. Pilgrims from Spain and Portugal are arriving in great numbers in ships, trains, buses, air charters, etc The biggest delegationof all is the one from Poland bringing in an officially announced 300,000 pilgrims arriving in specially hired transport that include 1700 buses, 58 charter planes,5 trains. In addition to this, hundreds of thousands of others are coming by own private means. The Polish President and ex-President Lech Walesa plus ministers, ets will officially represent Poland.

Pope John XXIII's Italian northern region will roll in hundreds of buses that will form part of the estimated 5000 buses from Italy and the rest of Europe. Indeed millions will attend! And it's all booked! All flights from Paris to Rome have been fully booked since a month ago!

Now there have been TV emissions in France and elsewhere featuring the major aspects of the life of the two Popes. These persons are indeed very great world figures who have achieved so much for humanity! And everyone is convinced they deserve the glory to the altars! And the fact that they are canonized by a very great influential Pope has added a new magnitude to their greatness! Many French televiewers were moved by what they saw and heard about the two Popes. And they appreciated what Congolese Archbishop Emery Kabongo said about Pope John Paul II to whom he was a private secretary for many years. Kabongo saw in John Paul II a visible saint on a daily basis! And he enjoyed working with him and walking with him on the evening strolls in the Vatican Gardens.

So these are the great men who will be elevated to sainthood on Sunday. Their portraits are now being fixed on the loggia of St Peter's Basilica for the occasion. An occasion which now calls for toght security everywhere in Rome.

St Peter's Sqauare will be closed tomporrow Saturday, and only to be opened at 5 am Sunday 27th April. Just about 10,000 seats have been prepared for the leading VIPs from all over the globe. For the rest, one law will apply, that's the normal  first come first serve. This will enable 500,000 lucky people to find a place in the Square,

for the rest, the adjoining streets,etc are ready to welcome them! And they will be proud to count among the lucky pilgrims who attended the canonization of the two great world heroes! And the untiring great Pope Francis will pocket another super distinction for this very rare world success!

Dr G.H. Kkolokolo  ( Paris / France )