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Pope brings sense of unity to a chaotic city

The Associated Press

MEXICO CITY -- Riot police removed their helmets. Housewives and delivery boys dropped to their knees in prayer. Television coverage of Pope John Paul II's Saturday Mass produced impromptu worship and a rare feeling of camaraderie in this fractious city. At Mexico City's main plaza, the Zocalo, many of the 200 people watching a bank of television sets kneeled during the Eucharist, extended their arms and crossed themselves. People who had never met shook hands as a gesture of peace. "That is the Pope's vision, of peace, of knowing that you're not alone," said Manuel Ramirez, a 34-year-old teacher. BR * BR * BR *Evidence of the pope's effect on Mexicans came with a survey released Saturday by the University of Guadalajara's Center for Opinion Studies. Nearly 60 percent of those reached by telephone said they were watching Saturday's Mass. Another 6 percent said they were listening by radio. The survey of 600 people -- which included only the 39 percent of Mexicans who have telephone service -- had a margin of error of 4 percentage points. Eighty-nine percent of those who said they were watching or listening to the Mass said that the pope's words could improve their lives and nearly 97 percent said they approved of the pope's message on his arrival Friday. BR * BR * BR *Pope John Paul II's popemobile slowed as he blessed a huge cross erected by a cement company on Misterios Street, en route to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe where he said Mass. From amid a crowd of hundreds, Dora Hernandez held up a framed portrait of the Virgin of Guadalupe in hopes of catching part of John Paul's blessing. "He is a second Christ," she said. "Hopefully his visit will change us -- there is so much drug addiction, so much robbery, so much sin." After the Mass, a mistaken rumor that the popemobile was returning sent dozens clambering onto the base of the cross for a better view. Eighty-year-old Jose Arana Tinoco dropped his cane and fell to his knees to crawl up the sloping base -- and wept when he realized he would not see John Paul after all. "He is the shepherd of the sheep, the shepherd for all of us, for the world," he said. BR * BR * BR *At the base of the newly blessed cross, Benito Vasquez set up a life-size image of the pope and offered to take photos with it for $3. But he, too, expressed enthusiasm at seeing the pope himself: "It's very exciting. I can't explain it. I can only say it gave me goosebumps."

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