When we went to the indoor Papal Audience at the Vatican on the 27th of December, there was interesting entertainment-- 2 giant "polar bears" who waved and roamed the crowds, and gymnasts and male dancers with feathers. I think the gymnasts and dancers were representing Campeche, Mexico, which the Nativity on the Stage of the Papal Audience had written on it. It got me to wondering whether Papal Audiences at the Vatican always feature entertainment like this, or whether it was specific to the Christmas Holidays, perhaps Campeche, Mexico's Christmas gift to the Pope? Does anyone know? Hubby and I are planning another trip to Rome and are trying to decide whether to go at Christmastime again or another time of the year? Thanks for your help. https://aleteia.org/2018/01/02/the-pope-and-the-polar-bears/
Posted by
Brooklyn, NY
4332 posts
We went in February 2017 and it was the first outside audience of the season, and yes there was entertainment. We saw some circus performers, which if memory is correct, were from Romania.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16708 posts
Google "Golden Circus, Rome" for info on this group and guest appearance by some members at that audience:
http://www.circopedia.org/Golden_Circus_Festival
https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=31632
The circus takes place over Rome's post-Christmas holiday.
Posted by
OP
365 posts
Good to know the entertainment is year 'round. Do you recall whether the Pope walks down an aisle in the middle of the crowd during the Outdoor Papal Audience, or does he only go around in his Pope Mobile after the Papal Audience? What time did you have to be in line to get a good seat at a February Papal Audience? They told us in the summer you need to be in line by 6 a.m. to get an aisle seat. In December, it's around 7:30 a.m.
Posted by
OP
365 posts
Thanks, Kathy. It sounds like the circus performances have been going on quite some time. I have tried to research their origin, as it's very interesting to me, but all I can come up with is one article, which is on the negative side? Does anyone know which Pope hosted the first circus performance during a Papal Audience?
Posted by
OP
365 posts
I've researched the entertainment, Kathy, and I've found mention of similar circus entertainment year 'round. Barbara said there was entertainment in February. This is all I can find as to the origins of circus entertainment at Papal Audiences, and as I say, it's quite negative, but I'd like to find out where it all started? http://www.traditioninaction.org/RevolutionPhotos/A375rcVaticanCircus.html#.WkvSRI5KEI8.facebook
Posted by
OP
365 posts
Or, perhaps the circus entertainment is not year 'round, per se, but it CAN occur at any time during the year, according to the links in the article I found above, while researching this today. I would love to find out just how frequently the circus entertainers perform during the year at Papal Audiences? At every single Papal Audience? Or just a few times a year? Or only one time a year?
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16708 posts
Good to know the entertainment is year 'round.
No, we didn't say that it was (at the audiences) and I don't think that's the case. Honestly, I don't think "entertainment" is a reason to attend an audience nor to choose a time of year to go to Rome simply because an audience might include a little. These are, first and foremost, spiritual events for the Catholic faithful, and for whom the Pope is more than a celebrity.
While anyone is certainly welcome to attend (and I would hope they'd observe proper decorum), we haven't and probably wouldn't. Just personal viewpoint but we figure our space would be better occupied by pilgrims who may experience a blessing, in person, from His Holiness just once in their lifetimes; a much more important thing for them than for us.
Posted by
OP
365 posts
Yes, I understand your point of view, Kathy, but there were many, many empty seats at the Papal Audience, and my husband and I are students of religion (he is a pastor, and I teach Sunday School and earned a degree in religion), so this is of great fascination to us, the origins of combining of a spiritual experience with circus entertainment. It was quite interesting to observe, and we'd love to do it again. I'm thinking it might work at our church, as well, even though it's not Catholic. I think it's a great idea. This article, written by a Catholic, really captures the essence of what the Papal Audience is like. As the Catholic author states, it feels like a Rock Concert. LOL. We felt we were at a sporting event, with all the shouting and cheerleading going on. High energy. It was fabulous! www.theworldisabook.com/13884/what-is-papal-audience/
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
Well. Who knew the Catholic Church was so entertaining.
Posted by
London, UK
71 posts
Until today, I had no idea and I was a Catholic for most of my life. Maybe had I known about these performances I would have stayed in the church.
Posted by
752 posts
LOL! Me too! I frickin' live here and have never been entertained at a Papal audience! But then I'd never been entertained at any Catholic church service so I had no idea I was missing anything anyway! Times like this I feel so out of it!
Personally I too would like to learn more about this phenomenon. I live in a convent/monastery that serves many priests from around the world and they come with an amazing kmowledge of church history and practices in Rome. I'm very FOMO so this information is good to know.