Half-million young Catholics in Rome awaiting Pope Leo XIV at Holy Year youth festival
She said, for example, it had taken two hours to get dinner Friday night, as the KFC was overwhelmed by orders. The Salesian school that offered her group housing is an hour away by bus. But Jobbour, like many here this week, didn't mind the discomfort. It's all part of the experience.
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'I don't expect it to be better than that. I expected it this way,' she said, as members of her group gathered on church steps near the Vatican to sing and pray before heading out to Tor Vergata.
Article content
There was already one tragedy before the vigil began. The Vatican confirmed that an Egyptian 18-year-old, identified as Pascale Rafic, died while on the pilgrimage. Leo met Saturday with the group she was traveling with and extended his condolences to her family.
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The weather has largely cooperated. While Italian civil protection crews had prepared for temperatures that could have reached 34C (93F) or higher this week, the mercury hasn't surpassed 30C (85F) and isn't expected to.
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Romans who didn't flee the onslaught have been inconvenienced by the additional hordes on the city's notoriously insufficient public transport system. Residents are sharing social media posts of outbursts by Romans angered by kids flooding subway platforms and crowding bus stops that have complicated their commutes to work.
But other Romans have welcomed the enthusiasm the youngsters have brought. Premier Giorgia Meloni offered a video welcome, marveling at the 'extraordinary festival of faith, joy and hope' that the young people had brought to the Eternal City.
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'I think it's marvelous,' said Rome hairdresser Rina Verdone, who lives near the Tor Vergata field and woke up Saturday to find a gaggle of police congregating outside her home as part of the massive, 4,000-strong operation mounted to keep the peace. 'You think the faith, the religion is in difficulty, but this is proof that it's not so.'
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Verdone had already made plans to take an alternate route home Saturday afternoon, that would require an extra kilometer (half-mile) walk, because she feared the 'invasion' of kids in her neighborhood would disrupt her usual bus route. But she said she was more than happy to make the sacrifice.
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Vancouver Sun
18 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
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There are places on this planet that, on arrival, promise a slice of paradise. But an hour later, when your bus still hasn't arrived, such initial euphoria drains away. Not so in Switzerland. Yes, it's indeed one of the most beautiful places on Earth, but it's also the most punctual paradise travellers can find. As anyone who has stumbled, bleary-eyed, off a transatlantic flight will attest, being able to find (on arrival) a transportation system so wonderfully precise and simple to use is one of travel's most underrated treasures. The backbone of this system is the railways that crisscross Switzerland. The trains don't just arrive on time, but every connection is precise, so travellers can switch trains quickly and easily. Plan your next getaway with Travel Time, featuring travel deals, destinations and gear. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Travel Time will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Buying a Swiss Travel Pass is a must for so many reasons. Not only is it valid for train travel, it also covers local buses, many sightseeing boats and entry to a host of museums. Plus, there's rarely a need for advance reservations; just hop on and hop off to your heart's content. The only question remains: just how much natural beauty do you want to see? The grand tour of Switzerland carries an endless appeal, covering almost 1,300 kilometres aboard those famous panoramic-view trains. Alas, most visitors must make a choice, being confined by time or money. So, in homage to Switzerland's linguistic heritage, we settled on Lausanne, Lucerne and Lugano, where the native tongue is French, German and Italian respectively. (Don't worry: English is spoken everywhere.) 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Today it's home to the International Olympic Committee and boasts a breathtakingly beautiful museum, overlooking the lake, that pays homage to the Games with vintage artifacts, classic sporting videos and poignant vignettes of previous Olympics, including those in Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. It's enough to whet the appetite of any sports fan, so where better to enjoy lunch than the museum's grand restaurant, which offers an outrageously tasty buffet. If medals were handed out for self-serve cuisine , this would be a shoo-in for gold. After two wonderful days in Lausanne — no wonder David Bowie loved it — it was time to leave and experience the true wonders of Swiss rail, as we set out for Lucerne. 'If you want peace of mind, come to Montreux,' the late Freddie Mercury once said. So, that was our first pit stop. Music made the town world famous: its annual Montreux Jazz Festival is the city's signature event. 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Calgary Herald
19 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Scenic train rides and stunning spots to discover on your next visit to Switzerland
Article content There are places on this planet that, on arrival, promise a slice of paradise. But an hour later, when your bus still hasn't arrived, such initial euphoria drains away. Article content Not so in Switzerland. Yes, it's indeed one of the most beautiful places on Earth, but it's also the most punctual paradise travellers can find. Article content Article content As anyone who has stumbled, bleary-eyed, off a transatlantic flight will attest, being able to find (on arrival) a transportation system so wonderfully precise and simple to use is one of travel's most underrated treasures. Article content Article content Article content Buying a Swiss Travel Pass is a must for so many reasons. Not only is it valid for train travel, it also covers local buses, many sightseeing boats and entry to a host of museums. Plus, there's rarely a need for advance reservations; just hop on and hop off to your heart's content. Article content The only question remains: just how much natural beauty do you want to see? Article content The grand tour of Switzerland carries an endless appeal, covering almost 1,300 kilometres aboard those famous panoramic-view trains. Alas, most visitors must make a choice, being confined by time or money. Article content So, in homage to Switzerland's linguistic heritage, we settled on Lausanne, Lucerne and Lugano, where the native tongue is French, German and Italian respectively. (Don't worry: English is spoken everywhere.) Article content Article content The Swiss-based charter airline Edelweiss now flies out of Vancouver, Calgary and Halifax direct to Zurich, which is the perfect city to begin touring — a major rail station being part of its easily navigated airport.
Calgary Herald
5 days ago
- Calgary Herald
Half-million young Catholics in Rome awaiting Pope Leo XIV at Holy Year youth festival
Article content She said, for example, it had taken two hours to get dinner Friday night, as the KFC was overwhelmed by orders. The Salesian school that offered her group housing is an hour away by bus. But Jobbour, like many here this week, didn't mind the discomfort. It's all part of the experience. Article content 'I don't expect it to be better than that. I expected it this way,' she said, as members of her group gathered on church steps near the Vatican to sing and pray before heading out to Tor Vergata. Article content There was already one tragedy before the vigil began. The Vatican confirmed that an Egyptian 18-year-old, identified as Pascale Rafic, died while on the pilgrimage. Leo met Saturday with the group she was traveling with and extended his condolences to her family. Article content The weather has largely cooperated. While Italian civil protection crews had prepared for temperatures that could have reached 34C (93F) or higher this week, the mercury hasn't surpassed 30C (85F) and isn't expected to. Article content Article content Romans who didn't flee the onslaught have been inconvenienced by the additional hordes on the city's notoriously insufficient public transport system. Residents are sharing social media posts of outbursts by Romans angered by kids flooding subway platforms and crowding bus stops that have complicated their commutes to work. But other Romans have welcomed the enthusiasm the youngsters have brought. Premier Giorgia Meloni offered a video welcome, marveling at the 'extraordinary festival of faith, joy and hope' that the young people had brought to the Eternal City. Article content 'I think it's marvelous,' said Rome hairdresser Rina Verdone, who lives near the Tor Vergata field and woke up Saturday to find a gaggle of police congregating outside her home as part of the massive, 4,000-strong operation mounted to keep the peace. 'You think the faith, the religion is in difficulty, but this is proof that it's not so.' Article content Article content Verdone had already made plans to take an alternate route home Saturday afternoon, that would require an extra kilometer (half-mile) walk, because she feared the 'invasion' of kids in her neighborhood would disrupt her usual bus route. But she said she was more than happy to make the sacrifice.
