MADRID — A freak thunderstorm forced Pope Benedict XVI to cut short his speech to an estimated million young pilgrims gathered Saturday for the church’s world youth festival, giving the outdoor prayer vigil at a Madrid airfield a dramatic climax.
During the day, firefighters atop firetrucks had sprayed the crowds with water from hoses, and pilgrims sought shade from umbrellas, trees, tarps and tents in a bid to stave off the near 104-degree heat.
As night fell, a flash downpour drenched the crowd: With lightning lighting up the night sky, the 84-year-old Benedict was forced to skip the bulk of his speech and merely deliver brief greetings in a half-dozen languages.
Despite the discomfort, the scene at the Cuatro Vientos airport was nevertheless festive and colorful, with pilgrims in a rainbow of sunhats and umbrellas dancing, singing and waving their national flags as they geared up for a massive sleep- over to be in place for today’s main World Youth Day Mass.
“There is a truly awesome number of people here, and we have come to join them to celebrate our Christianity in the most universal and catholic sense,” said Joe Melendrez, a rap artist from San Antonio.
The crowd erupted in cheers when Benedict arrived at nightfall, greeted by Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia. Once it became clear he couldn’t proceed with his speech because of the storm, organizers told the crowd that they had asked for more water during the hot day, and their prayers were answered.
“With this rain, the Lord sends us many blessings,” Benedict quipped when he resumed his truncated remarks.
This is Benedict’s third World Youth Day, the once-every-three-years gathering of young Catholics from around the world that was launched a quarter-century ago by Pope John Paul II. The event was held in Denver in 1993.
It has the feel of a week-long rock concert and camping trip, with bands of flag-toting pilgrims roaming Madrid’s streets to take part in prayer and education sessions, Masses, cultural outings and papal events.
