Parkway Crowds Increase Greatly For Pope's Mass
By Mike Dougherty
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The crowds at the Francis Festival Grounds ahead of Sunday mass were much larger than the Saturday crowds. In fact, over 800,000 people were estimated to be in attendance.
The security zone at 19th and Callowhill was for those who don't have tickets. Thousands and thousands lined up between concrete barriers just hoping they would get inside in time to catch a glimpse of the Pope.
Bernadette from Fox Chase made some new friends during her two hour wait:
"We didn't know these people. We're just talking to them right now. Everybody's here for the same reason, really, in this line -- to see the Pope and to have love among each other."
Marge Schmader was expecting the large amount of people. And she wouldn't want to be anywhere else:
"It's amazing. That's what I said when we first got here. To be among so many Catholics, it's just awe-inspiring. I love it."
There were a handful of protesters and anti-catholic demonstrators shouting at the crowd over megaphones. The people who spoke with KYW Newsradio say those hateful words won't dampen their spirits.