Photo Essay Part III
Final Outdoor Mass


Our first view of the altar shows the "Benedictine" arrangement in place (i.e. the Roman Basilica arrangement) -- though one candlestick is missing at the present moment. Presumably this is temporary and will be fixed.
 

The Pope has arrived and the seventh candlestick is now properly in place. (As to the design of the altar itself, I would encourage all to focus instead on the fact of the continuing programme for liturgical re-orientation which has made its way into the very central World Youth Day liturgy. That is significant and one can hope many priests and seminarians here present take notice of this.)




One can see the Pope has arrived, and can see the servers, deacons, bishops and the like in waiting. Msgr. Marini has escorted the Holy Father into the temporary sacristy.



One will note that the Pope's chasuble is indeed without "Marjorie's Bird" as was reported. One can see the other bishops wearing those vestments as a point of comparison.

Another good view of the altar arrangement below.

The first major note after the altar arrangement is that the Introit is being chanted in Gregorian chant. This must be understood as a major and significant development for World Youth Day.
 World Youth Day.

The incensation of the altar.

For the Kyrie, the Greek is being used for the actual phrases "Kyrie Eleison" and "Christe Eleison", with some vernacular mixed in. Interestingly, it was both spoken by the Pope and is being followed by an orchestral version of the same.

The Gloria is also orchestral, employing a Latin refrain and then being sung in the vernacular -- and as some careful listeners have noted already in the comments, this would appear to be the literal translation of the Latin Gloria. These may well be the new texts which are the product of the revised ICEL commission.



The Pope is now performing confirmations.



It is worth noting that traditional sanctus bells were used at the consecration.

The Pope intoned the Pater in Latin, and the Pater itself was sung in the traditional Latin chant.

The Agnus Dei, like the Kyrie and Gloria, is orchestral and choral, with a mixture of Latin and English.

Wonderfully, we pick up again on the traditional Gregorian chants at the Communion chant.

One also sees the now regular occurence of communion received from the Pope, kneeling and upon the tongue:

Following communion, people were again asked to maintain silence after having "received the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament".
At the end of Mass, the Pope recited the Angelus in Latin. Quite something to say the least.
The final blessing was imparted in Latin and there was a very nice organ recessional.





Photo Essay Part II
Sydney Cathedral

The Holy Father has arrived

Under the singing of Tu es Petrus, he has gone to adore Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament

The entrance procession - the relics to be "buried" in the altar

Whatever one thinks of the new altar about to be consecrated...

Card. Pell certainly stressed the centrality of the altar on which is offered the holy sacrifice of the Mass, as he expressly said, and he quoted in Latin the antiphon from the prayers at the foot of the altar "Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum qui lætificat juventutem meam". The Holy Father was evidently pleased

A young Schönstatt sister addressed the pope, ending with a prayer in German to Our Lady asking Her to inscribe the Pope in Her heart, which obviously moved the Holy Father

The Holy Father blesses the deacon before the Gospel

The nave of the Cathedral with the great West (?) window, to which the Holy Father has just alluded in his sermon. Now Credo III is being sung in Latin.

And anoints it while Unxit te Deus is sung with Psalm 45

And incenses it while Stetit angelus is sung with Psalm 136

The Roman Canon

Holy Communion in the traditional manner now observed at all papal Masses, including tomorrow's closing Mass of World Youth Day

Pontifical Blessing

The Pope leaving the altar


Photo Essay I

Pope Benedict XVI, center, inspects a guard of honor during the ceremonial welcome at Government House as part of World Youth Day in Sydney Thursday, July 17, 2008.
(Photo: AP Photo/Greg Wood, POOL)


Pope Benedict XVI prays in front of Mary MacKillop tomb during his visit at the Memorial
chapel in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, July 17, 2008. (Photo: AP Photo/Vincenzo Pinto, Pool)



Pope Benedict XVI signs the visitor's book at Admiralty House in Sydney, Australia, during the first day of his official duties to mark World Youth Day on Thursday, July 17, 2008. (Photo: AP Photo/Will Burgess, Pool)



Thousands of pilgrims fill a park at Barangaroo in Sydney for the official welcome of Pope Benedict XVI for World Youth Day, Thursday, July 17, 2008. (Photo: AP/Sydney Morning Herald, R. Pearce)



A boat carrying Pope Benedict XVI sails past the Sydney Opera House as it heads to Bangaroo Harbor for an official World Youth Day welcome, Thursday, July 17, 2008. (Photo: AP/Sydney Morning Herald, R. Pearce


Pope Benedict XVI waves from his pope mobile as he arrives at Bangaroo for his official World Youth Day welcome in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, July 17, 2008. The 81-year-old pope joined hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who have converged on Sydney for the World Youth Day festival. (Photo: AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill




Pope Benedict XVI gestures during a harbor cruise in Sydney, Thursday, July 17, 2008.
(Photo: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)




Pope Benedict XVI waves from the stage as he arrives at Bangaroo for his official World Youth Day welcome in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, July 17, 2008. (Photo: AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)



Pope Benedict XVI talks to an Australian Aborigine aboard a harbor cruise in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, July 17, 2008. (Photo: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)



Pope Benedict XVI follows Aboriginal dancers prior to boarding a harbor cruise in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, July 17, 2008. (Photo: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)



Pope Benedict XVI is followed by Cardinal George Pell as he greets pilgrims at the end of his meeting with youths at the Barangaroo Harbor in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, July 17, 2008. (Photo: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Benedict XVI waves to pilgrims as he passes the Sydney Opera House in his Pope mobile after addressing thousands of pilgrims at Barangaroo on his first day of official duties during World Youth Day activities in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, July 17, 2008. (Photo: AP Photo/Will Burgess, Pool)