« Virginia Tech massacre: The impact one year later | Today | Art and healing; RISD program wins international award »

April 16, 2008

Pope visit: Thousands await outside White House

WASHINGTON -- Shortly after 9 a.m., scores of American cardinals and bishops entered the White House, wearing their red-trimmed black vestments and red skull caps.

Seated in the VIP section were Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, D-R.I., seated with his father, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Rep. James R. Langevin, D-R.I.

The younger Kennedy remarked, “It’s a beautiful morning for this.”

Rhode Island's Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse were not in the VIP section today. But tonight Reed will be among those at a birthday party for the pope at the Italian embassy.

The sun was shining on the Truman Balcony of the White House and the South Lawn below, and volunteers handed out ornate programs and tiny flags –– both American flags and the yellow and white flags bearing the papal seal.

The pope is expected to enter along a red carpet and sit on a small stage with just two seats behind a microphone. He’ll address a crowd which is already thousands strong –– the largest ever for such a White House event.

Among the procession is Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, the Capuchin friar who first came to public attention as bishop of the Fall River Diocese who settled lawsuits by sexual abuse victims of Father James Porter.

O’Malley took over in Boston for Cardinal Bernard Law, who resigned in disgrace after revelations of sexual abuse cases in 2002.

As the crowd ringed the stage behind ropes stuffed with red, white and blue bunting, “The President’s Own” Marine band played sacred airs.

A military color guard holding papal and American flags is lined up on the steps leading to the Truman Balcony, where flower boxes hold bright yellow tulips.

Boy and Girl Scouts, wearing sashes of merit badges, Knights of Columbus in purple and crimson capes, and a fife and drum corps in colonial-style "Minute Men" uniforms add to the array.

Live Associated Press video of the pope at the White House is scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m.

To keep up with The Journal's coverage of the pope's visit, see our special section.

-- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington Bureau

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 10:20 AM | Permalink

Comments

Post a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)