Good-Bye Benedikt

About 10 minutes ago Pope Benedikt XVI left Cologne /Bonn airport and is hopefully on a safe flight back to Rome. I have just read that the pilot wíll fly over Marktl am Inn, the village where Joseph Ratzinger was born so that he can at least have a view from above onto his original home. I think that this is a very neat idea. Big lights will shine onto the house where he was born and has lived in his younger years so that he can recognise it from above. Also all the inhabitants will gather holding a candle in their hands to greet Benedikt. It must be so touching.
Last night Benedikt held a vigil on Marienfeld and this morning the WYD ended with a glorious mass.
It has been a pleasure to have out Pope in Cologne for the last 4 days. It means so much that he came for the World Youth Day and I get the feeling that he has made religion famous again, he created a special atmosphere in and around Cologne. And all the pilgrims who have been here take this atmosphere back home to 193 different countries. What a unity!
I have friends who are not into church at all, but last night when we watched the vigil on tv I saw a few fascinated eyes.
In his preach this morning Benedikt gave a warning that we tend to forget about God and then we wonder how much we suffer in times of sadness and helplessness. The love and believe in God is the solution to help us in those situations.
Words that I myself found very touching were the very first ones he spoke this morning. He greeted all the pilgrims (which were 1 million on Marienfeld!!!) and he said that he is sorry he could not greet every single person what he would have loved to do by papamobil but the ways inbetween the main roads were not good enough. But then he said that the reason why we came together is the same, our believe, which connects us by heart.
At some points I did regret that I did not go to Marienfeld, but due to workd I had to stay here. So I had the pleasure to have the best view in front of the tv:)
Here are a few more pics of the WYD (visit www.wdr/themenhomepages/weltjugendtag_2005.jhtml for more)

thousands of young pilgrims have spent the night on Marienfeld, they took the vigil seroius, they waited and prayed for the morning to come.

This was last night during the vigil. It took place during sunset and thousands of candles helped to create a very special atmosphere. The hill has been made up when the planning of this day started 3 years ago. The original idea with the hill was for John Paul II. due to his health circumstances the hill was a solution to take him there by car. Now John Paul II has a good view from above. Some voices said that this World Youth Day is the only WYD with two popes - one watching from above, the other one being with the people on Marienfeld.

This is a nice view from the foot of the hill up to Benedikt.

The ceremony last níght started with a huge bell that was baptised by Benedikt XVI. The bell was named John Paul II and is donated to a church in Cologne.

international pilgrims sharing their religion

This view is stunning. 1 million people, hundreds of bishops, thoudsands of priests and one pope on a big field!!!! the police reckoned that it would take more that 10 hours for everybody to get back to Cologne. I have not heard the news yet but I would guess that there are still a few thousands left on Marienfeld

The WYD logo. It has been a few awesome days and I am looking forward to the next World Youth Day which will take place in Sydney. I am lucky for Australia as I have met so many pilgrims from there who have travelled all that way to be here. Now it is the Europeans turn to travel and who knows, I may see you in Sydney 2008!