Pope: from across the Middle East the young people came

(Vatican Radio ) Tracey McClure reports from Beirut on Pope Benedict XVI's open air encounter with young people which took place in the square outside the Maronite Patriarchal residence on the evening of Saturday 15th September.
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It was a party atmosphere that greeted Pope Benedict with song and a rainbow of colors in choreographed dance. With a gigantic rosary made of blue and yellow balloons floating across the sky under the sign of Our Lady, the square outside the Maronite Patriarchal residence was full to brimming with young people from across Lebanon. So full that the Lebanese themselves were surprised – many were waiting to see what the security situation would be like before deciding to come. Some didn’t care about that at all, crossing over the border from war-torn Syria – one young girl saying she hadn’t fled the country but come here on purpose to bring the Holy Father’s prayers for peace back to her suffering home. And they came too from the Holy land, Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan, Jordan, Europe, the Americas and Australia – from across every continent to celebrate the peace that Pope Benedict wants to share in a suffering world.
And they weren’t just Christians either – at least one thousand Muslims came, many singing in mixed-faith choirs.
The flags were everywhere. One young woman remarked this papal visit is the first time she’d seen the Lebanese, noted for their clannish alliances, all united under the national Lebanese flag: One flag flying alongside the flag of a foreign state – the Holy See. That’s never happened before, she said, people usually bring out a myriad of local political flags instead.
In the run-up to the Holy Father’s arrival young people shouted out the refrain, Jesus is my joy! And continued to repeat it - Even if wars continue against you, even if you suffer, and your enemy continues torture you: Jesus is my joy! And they’re all here in joy to hear Pope Benedict’s “Salami o tikum!” My peace I give you!
In Lebanon with Pope Benedict, I’m Tracey McClure