An Appointment With Superman

When in Rome...what is the top Sunday attraction for visitors and Romans? If you guessed standing shoulder to shoulder in the heat of the late morning sun in St. Peter's Square waiting for Pope Francis to appear then you would be correct. No matter your religious persuasion,  this man stands out as a refreshing change from the inflexible previous leaders of his kind. 

According to Wikipedia, Pope Frances was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina December, 1936 with the given name of Jorge Mario Bergolio. He studied and got a degree in labratory chemistry and did work in a lab for a time as well as being a bouncer and janitor for a night club. He is the first Jesuit, first from the Southern hemisphere,  and first non-European to become Pope since 741. He gets his papal name from St. Frances of Assisi. Frances seems particularly interested in the plight of humankind and the needs here on earth as much as finding path to heaven. He speaks out about the environment,  strife in other countries, and is a champion for world peace. He seems to be listening to the need for church reform. Also, of note, it is said that he had a hand in restoring full diplomacy between the U. S. and Cuba. 

It was an exciting day to be in St. Peter's square.  Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in a very jovial manner just to have a chance to see this great man appear from a window high in the ethereal sky and hear his message to the world. My three year old grandson, a boy raised to have the freedom of running along nearly deserted beaches, has never seen a crowd do large.  The biggest crowd he has ever experienced is when the inhabitants of the small town of Playa Guiones, Costa Rica go to the beach to watch the waves roll in as the sun sets. Even then he runs free splashing in the waves and chasing after friends. So keeping him contained in St. Peter's square was not easy until the velvet banner was lowered from the window where the Pope was about to appear. 

To keep him engaged his mother said "Watch Sebastian any minute superman is going to appear. Maybe he will use that cape and fly down to see you."  This tactic worked until the promised flight did not take place and a boy's fantasy was dashed. He kept asking, "When is superman going to fly down mommy?" I explained that he was so important he couldn't fly today but was off to take care of people in his big house behind the windows. When we arrived back to our accommodations our little superman put on his cape and flew around on his own. 

While the other adults took off for a tour of the coliseum and ancient Rome,  Sebastian and I enjoyed an afternoon that included a nap and an outing for gelato. We played a game of "stop" where I let him run ahead along the sidewalks but when I yelled "stop" he had to stop immediately and stand like a statue. This boy is a quick learner and loved the game so much he wanted to play the game with his parents later that day.  I realize, as I see him experience the big city, how different his life is on the unpaved sandy roads of his little beach town.