With Irish singer Dana serenading his afternoon airport arrival, Pope John Paul II landed in St Louis, Missouri, yesterday to speak to exuberant Catholics and one subdued Baptist man who happens to be the US President.
The 78-year old Pontiff, walking slowly but without aid of a cane as he met President Clinton, called on Americans to "resist the culture of death and choose to stand steadfastly on the side of life".
In laying out his agenda as succinctly as any politician, the Pope called on people to reject every form of violence. "The violence of poverty and hunger...the violence of armed conflict, the violence of particularly abhorrent weapons such as anti-personnel mines; the violence of drug trafficking; the violence of racism and the violence of mindless damage to the natural environment."
After his 15-minute speech, the Pope and Mr Clinton met privately. Neither would comment on the subject of their conversation. The popularity of the Pope in the US, as reflected not only in the warm welcome accorded him by this most-middle western of American cities, but by the eagerness of politicians to be associated with him, is in sharp contrast to the not-always-welcoming theme of Catholicism in the US. It was not until 1965 that a Pope was greeted by an American President on US soil. Such a close association was thought to be a political liability, with concern that any visit would anger the mostly Protestant electorate. All that has changed, and today, some 30 per cent of voters in the US are believed to be Catholic, making them the largest single voting bloc from any religious denomination.
Mr Clinton and Hillary Clinton warmly shook hands with the Pope. Mr Clinton, leaving Washington DC for just three hours with several members of his Cabinet in tow, introduced the Pope to dignitaries, including a local priest from Hope, Arkansas, before speaking for 10 minutes.
"Your return brings joy," Mr Clinton said, referring to the Pope's previous six visits to the US.
"For 20 years you have lifted our spirits and touched our hearts. For 20 years you have challenged us to think of life not in terms of what we acquire for ourselves, but in terms of what we give of ourselves".
Mr Clinton went on to thank the Pope for leading a "revolution of values" in central Europe.
In choosing St Louis for his only US stop, the Pontiff relied in large measure on his close friendship with the St Louis Archbishop, Dr Justin Rigali, who served in the Vatican for 30 years before his assignment here in 1991. Moreover, this city, which is not known for a constant stream of important visitors, provided the kind of down-home and all-encompassing welcome that another more urban and secular city might not have. At dawn, some 20,000 teenagers braved chilly weather to march across town and wait several hours for a glimpse of the Pope. Most said the opportunity to see someone of the Pope's stature in St Louis was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The downtown financial and shopping district was virtually a ghost town during most of yesterday with only pedestrians and police officers and those attending a Papal rally in sight. Many stores were closed, as most streets were closed to traffic in preparation for the Papal motorcade. While such an interruption in commerce might have caused grumbling in some cities, St Louis residents seemed to be only too delighted that the Pope has chosen their city for a 30 hour visit. Even the $7 million in extra costs for police and other services seemed fine.
Among the most enthusiastic were the city's youth, who were set to celebrate a Teen Mass last night.
"It will be kind of like seeing into God's heart," said Matt Boyett (16), who was planning to attend the Mass. "I will open my heart and the Pope will help me out."