A very colourful and crowded square was the one that today greeted the first Regina Coeli of Pope Leo XIV .
The Pope was greeted with a roar as soon as he appeared in the square, by the 150,000 people who reached St. Peter's. "Happy Sunday!" were his first words, accompanied by the jubilant choruses of the faithful who, from the first light of dawn , coming from every part of the world, began to take their places in front of Bernini's colonnade .
Among them were artists from bands and popular entertainment ready to celebrate their Jubilee , made even more special by the election of Robert Francis Prevost.
"Happy Sunday!", Leo XIV began . He then turned to the young people: "Do not be afraid!" Then he repeated, recalling the end of the Second World War 80 years ago: "Never again war." And on Ukraine: " Let us do everything possible to reach a genuine, just and lasting peace as soon as possible. May all prisoners be freed and may children return to their families ." And again on the Gaza Strip: " Let the fire cease immediately, let humanitarian aid be provided to the exhausted civilian population and let all the hostages be freed ." Then his appreciation for the attempts at a truce between India and Pakistan. And a thought for mothers: " Happy holidays to all! "
A comprehensive security plan has been prepared that includes the use of thousands of men and women of the police force , supported by the now tested network of volunteers who guard St. Peter's and the surrounding streets every day. The area has already been cleared, while entering the square requires a double check that the faithful will have to undergo: first at the outer "pre-filtering" and then at the "checkpoints" equipped with metal detectors.
And this morning, to everyone's amazement, Prevost's new surprise, crossing the square through the crowd crowded at the checkpoints.
In St. Peter's Square and on Via della Conciliazione, as happened for the funeral of Pope Francis, large screens have been set up to allow all the faithful to follow .
In fact, it is a general test in view of the inauguration of the new Pope, scheduled for Sunday 18 May , when over five thousand men and women of the police force will be in the field, along with specialized personnel to escort foreign delegations, anti-drone devices, snipers, dog handlers, bomb disposal experts, two thousand volunteers and 500 stewards.
Yesterday, for Prevost, it was his first public outing as Pope, with visits first to "his" sanctuary, in Genazzano, and then to the tomb of Francis, in Santa Maria Maggiore , to "resume" the path started by his predecessor, as announced to all the cardinals in the meeting that took place in the morning .
(Online Union)
