Photo of the Day - May 22, 2007 - The Vatican Easter 1978

It was mostly by happenstance that I ended up at the Vatican on Easter Sunday 1978. We had been in Florence, and realized "tomorrow is Easter," and we said "well let's go to Rome." So we took an overnight train, got in quite early, and were able to find ourselves right near the front of what turned out to be quite a crowd. Pope Paul VI gave greetings that Easter, Marcfh 26, 1978. This would be his last Easter. He would die that year, to be succeeded by Pope John Paul I, who lived only avery short time after election, to be succeeded by the famous and popular Pope John Paul II. The Vatican was so packed that day, you could almost lift up your legs and not fall. People were fainting. The estimate was that there were over 200,000 people, which would be largest group of people I had or have ever been in. We were right at the front ropes because we got there about 5:00am. Had a great view of the Swiss Guard, and of the Pope. It was a neat day. His message that day can be found here.