Visual description of final Mass at Yankee stadium on papal trip

For my visually impaired readers, a narrative description:

The Pope has entered Yankee stadium, dressed in light gold robes. He ascends the ramp, stopping to shake hands and greet people. A huge banner welcomes all to Pope Benedict XVI's Mass in New York in 2008.

The papal seal is behind the podium with the altar, topped by purple and gold bunting, visible as the Pope takes his seat on the podium. Cardinal Egan welcomes the Pope for all 195 dioceses and archdioceses of the US, noting the bicentennial anniversary of the Archdiocese of New York and others. The crowd is over 57,000 people and cheers numerous times during the greeting, some wearing gold shirts with the number 16 and the name Benedict on the back. The Pope smiles, clasps his hands and bows his head when Cardinal Egan tells him what an appreciated grace his presence is to all of us.

The sun has just brightened considerably from a former cloudiness as the greeting continues, now in Spanish from Cardinal Egan. The crowd roars and cheers. Mass begins.

The altar is white with a gold cross- a gold stripe across the middle of the front of it and the top (table) across the front. The podium is covered with yellow flowers in pots. The sun continues to shine brightly.

The first reading is Acts 6:1 -7 in English. The second reading, in Spanish, is 1 Peter 2:4-9, which notes that those baptized into Christ are the living stones of the church and that every member has a role.

The Book of readings is brought to the Pope, along with incense. He prays, blesses it as Alleluia is sung by the cantor, dressed in purple robes. The book, red with a gold inlaid cover, is held high for all to see. The Pope rises from his seat, singing along, his hands clasped in prayer. The gospel reading is John 14:1-12 and is chanted: In my Father's house, there are many places....where I am going, you know the way...Thomas asks how can we know the way...Jesus says I am the Way, the Truth and the Light. No one comes to the Father except through me...Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father...Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do and will do greater works than me because I am going to the Father.

The Pope sits and begins his homily. (My paraphrasing). He greets everyone with great affection and says let us renew our faith and hope in Jesus. He speaks of the twin commandment of love of God and love of neighbor, noting the challenges and cultural tensions involved. He speaks of a unity that transcends human limitations, and how outward associations and programs only exist to support our fundamental works.

He speaks of the obedience of faith, noting these words are a stumbling stone for many. He notes the mystery that only by losing ourselves can we truly find ourselves and true freedom. He says that God's will is our peace. Truth brings a new and liberating way to see reality-freedom and truth belong together. He speaks of the world being transformed with the liberating truth of the Gospel. He tells us to harness all our energies into the coming of God's kingdom, to do things that will truly endure and bear lasting fruit. This means being alert to signs of the kingdom coming and not to lose heart with adversity and scandal. He speaks of the prophetic witness of those who work for the poor and vulnerable. He mentions the youth, the Church's future, and encourages them in their faith. He asks the youth to open their hearts to callings to serve as clergy. View the future with hope, allow Jesus into your lives.

Let us work with renewed zeal for the coming of God's kingdom. (vast applause, the Pope smiles and speaks in Spanish.)

The crowd spontaneously chants and cheers after the homily, then claps as the Pope raises his hands in a wide greeting, turning from side to side to face the large audience. He smiles, his lips move perhaps in prayer.

Mass continues with the Profession of Faith (for non-Catholics, where we recite the prayer of Catholic beliefs.) The camera shoots to a father with a young girl leaning on him and a young boy in the crowd with his family. The altar is on the field of Yankee stadium with a number of rows of chairs facing it, but most people sit in the stadium stands (and there are so very many that most of the time one cannot make out any faces due to the distance but shots show people of all ages, teenagers, mothers, fathers, seniors and even babies - mostly lay people but some members of the clergy too). A yellow, white and black section laid on the field in front of the altar separates the seating from the podium.

Mass continues. Prayers for the church are said in at least half a dozen languages. The sun again shines very brightly as we transition toward the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The gifts are brought up to the Pope, who greets each person. Lines of priests and deacons criss cross the stadium floor, approaching the altar to help serve Communion, some standing on the ramps waiting. The sun shines against the gold, yellow and white hues as the Pope lifts up the chalice and plate after approaching the altar. [A camera shot shows people in the stands singing from hymnals. Some use the hymnals to shield their eyes from the sun, some share the booklets with loved ones.] Cardinal Egan leads the Prayers for the Living. The Pope is now consecrating the bread and wine and holds up the host, then the chalice. Prayers for the Dead are now said. The Lord's Prayer...camera shots show people holding hands as they pray in the crowd.

Sign of Peace is offered in the crowd - 57,000 people turn to each other in the stadium to offer a sign of peace. Truly a remarkable thing! One young man greets half a dozen people around him enthusiastically, while others reach across rows of people to greet as many as possible.

The Pope performs the Communion Rite and begins to distribute Communion, as clergy approach the crowd to begin giving communion among them. [For my deaf readers:it is very quiet as this is done with rows of people filing through the stadium grounds for those seated there, while priests and deacons take positions in the stands, having rehearsed how to do this in the most orderly manner possible. Each section is assigned to a priest or deacon and people walk down the stands to receive Communion, then go back to their seat. I see a NY officer who has quadriplegia in the crowd. Not in the stands :) May I add that the choir now singing is wearing purple robes with gold sashes. The TV commentors are surprised at how quiet this all is but I'm not- Catholics have done this for years:) ]

There is a wonderful close-up of the Pope seated on the podium, smiling at the crowd, looking around the stadium, waiting for people to return to their places after communion. The Pope gives the final blessings. The Pope smiles as the crowd cheers again, many waving gold cloths or T shirts in the air. The Pope approaches the altar, kneels and begins to leave the podium, waving, smiling and the crowd erupts into louder cheers, now waving any object they can find of all colors as Beethoven's Ode to Joy plays in the background. The Pope's hand is kissed by many clergy members as he stops, turns in all directions, his right hand up in the air, and no one is leaving the stadium as the Pope exits very slowly. Many cameras in the crowd, cheers, and outstretched arms impossibly far away. Chants of We love you we love you over and over again as the Ode of Joy plays. The Pope descends into the dugout and the crowd quiets a bit, the waving stops as the priests file out of the stadium along those yellow and white lines.

The Popemobile begins to move. Many remain in the stands for at least twenty more minutes, hoping for another view of the Pope. The Pope waves a final goodbye as he gets into the Popemobile, smiling broadly, wearing an ermine shawl over his robes. The crowd cheers wildly again, waving handkerchiefs and gold T shirts as the Popemobile takes a final turn around the stadium. The sun continues to shine as the Pope stretches out his right arm in greeting as the Popemobile exits the stadium.

Go in peace :)