Simple Departure Replete with Thank-You's
TORONTO, JULY 29, 2002 (Zenit.org).- Awed by the affection of the 800,000 participants at the closing of World Youth Day, a grateful John Paul II bid Canada farewell this morning before heading to Guatemala.
The farewell ceremony at Toronto's Pearson International Airport was simple, with no official speeches.
In his talks with those present - which included Canadian authorities, Church representatives, and some young people who participated in WYD - the Pope's most frequent expression, in French and English, was «thank you.»
Accompanied by Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, director of the Organizing Committee of Canada's WYD, the Holy Father wished to greet in particular some of the young people present, especially the actors who took part in the Way of the Cross on Friday, as well as handicapped youths.
On Sunday, when he met with the event's organizers and with young Indians at the motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Toronto, a clearly enthusiastic John Paul II said: «In the name of all the young people who came to Toronto and have shared in the results of your work, the Pope says thanks!»
The Holy Father is «absolutely enchanted» with WYD, Father Rosica told the CBS network.
After walking on the red carpet typical of these ceremonies, the Pope climbed the 19 steps to the Grupo TACA Airbus-320, which would take him to Guatemala City, a five-hour flight.
In Guatemala, where he will stay for 24 hours, John Paul II will canonize Brother Pedro de San Jose Betancur on Tuesday. The new saint was a 17th-century apostle of Guatemala's sick and poor.
The Holy Father's 97th international trip will end in Mexico on Thursday, following the canonization of Juan Diego and the beatification of two Indian martyrs.
ZENIT - The World Seen from Rome
29. juli 2002