Easter Sunday

After such an amazing Palm Sunday (amazing 1st mass with the Pope, fantastic seats, wonderful weather), we were not sure how Easter Sunday would match up. It, too, was a wonderful celebration.

We did have to manage expectations some. We knew we'd have decent seats, but not as good as our Palm Sunday spot. It turned out that despite the fact that this weekend we were in the Square (and not up on the altar level), we actually had a better view of the altar and events. Since we were facing the altar head on (our seats were about 15 rows back on the right hand side) and not seated perpendicular to it as we were last weekend, we had a better view of the service, readers, cantors, etc. If there were drawbacks, it was... (1) we arrived "only" about an hour before the service began so we had to break up into two groups of three - my parents and Celia and CJ, Augustine and me. Fortunately, we were able to find seats about 4 rows apart so we could at least see each other. (2) We were in a more tightly packed section than last week so we had considerably less room and no where to put the stroller except under my seat. Standing comfortably was a bit difficult. (3) We did not get mass programs, they either ran out or someone took the ones for out chairs. Either way it made it more difficult to follow the service.

Nonetheless... it was a great service. The altar was beautiful as was the singing. The weather - which had been projected to include rain - held out for the entire service and even warmed to a pleasant high 60s day. And the Pope's Urbi et Orbi message was great - how could it not be with the introduction including a quote from Saint Augustine! (To see the full message click here:

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/urbi/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20090412_urbi-easter_en.html )

These pictures are of the front of Saint Peters' and altar at the start of the service, the Pope entering, one of the big screens, the pope leaving the altar and the Pope up in the window preparing to (and then actually) deliver(ing) his Urbi et Orbi message.