The Pope comes to Bethlehem!

Oftentimes throughout this year, I have had the "Oh my gosh, I am living in Bethlehem" moments. These have included: Christmas in Bethlehem, Easter in Jerusalem, hiking the Jesus Trail in Nazareth, and now...witnessing the Pope lead mass in Manger Square, a mere 15 minute walk from my apartment. The Pope has been in the area for about a week now, and yesterday he came to visit Bethlehem. It has been interesting witnessing the preparations for his arrival. Soldiers from all over Palestine were brought in, a new turnabout (complete with a garden in the middle) was constructed, streets were repaved, and benches were added to the sidewalks. Our street was completely redone, and we joked that this was due to the Pope as well, even though it is a street barely travelled. So when Wednesday finally rolled around, everyone was excited. Even though the Pope has not had the best record with Muslims (or Jews for that matter), he was still very well received in the Bethlehem community. I went with a group of students from our school in hopes of catching a glimpse of him, so we waited on the street. As groups walked by, we heard some interesting chants for the Pope, and I would have to say that my favorite was "We love, we love Benedict" in the tune of "We will, we will rock you." Pretty clever. Our students were chanting "Baba! Baba!" (Baba is the Arabic word for Pope). After a brief waiting period, we were all excited as we saw the entourage of cars and security pass by, signaling that the time was near. Finally, we saw the "Popemobile" a sweet car with a glass sitting container for the Pope. As we were the only group in our area, we were certain that his waves were intended for us. I don't really know much about this Pope, but it did give me the shivers to know that I had actually seen the Pope.
So, our students went back to school, and Marta and I wandered up towards Manger Square to try to get another peek. We found out that tickets were required but, fortunately, a stranger on the street offered us 2 tickets. I don't know where these came from, but we didn't ask any questions and continued on our merry way! After we dodged some security and figured out alternate ways into Manger Square, we came upon the Mass and heard some of the Pope's speech. I only caught portions of what he said, but what impressed me most was that he acknowledged that the Holy Land is for all people, regardless of their religion. He also acknolwedged the pain and suffering of Gaza, and prayed for peace in this place. What I liked most about the Pope's visit was that it was a definite statement of solidarity. Just by coming to Palestine, the Pope acknowledged the Christians in this area, a people who often feel forgotten about and abandoned. Many Palestinians were excited for the Pope's arrival, as it meant that they are recognized as a people, and that they aren't isolated from the world. I was told that the last time the Pope came, an Intifada happened shortly after, so I am hoping that that is not a pattern!