“Popjonpul, mipela laikim yu!"
pp. 35-40 · Read in the full issue
The Pope greets two tiny Highland children during the open-air Mass at Mt Hagen. AP color radiophoto.
The faithful came from near and far. dressed in their finery: tall feathered head dresses, wondrous face-paint, and grand, wild raiment. Never was there such a gathering as occurred in Mount Hagen to greet the arrival of a chunky Polish cleric, clad in the white robes, and the great aura, of the Pope.
The Church estimates it has about 700,000 adherents in Papua New Guinea. Nearly 200,000 of them turned up in Mount Hagen to see His Holiness and to hear him say Mass in pidgin. Some had travelled for weeks through the rugged Highlands to get to the rain-sodden Mt Hagen golf course and stand, ankle-deep in mud, through the three-hour service. Some Tribesmen from remote villages among the mountains had even dragged 9 metre crosses to Mt Hagen for the Pope’s blessing. This done they will haul them back again and erect them in their villages, as a sign of their faith, and to remind them of the great visit.
There were warriors, dressed as they have been for aeons of time, carrying spears and axes. There were bare-breasted maidens, old women and marvelling children, all chanting “PopJonPul. mi laikim yu” as the Pontiff arrived. Then a 100-member choir sang ‘‘Happy Birthday,” and ‘‘For He’s a
Jolly Good Fellow” in English; the Pope’s 64th birthday is on May 18.
The Pope himself was almost as bright as the tribesmen ... clad in shining white, wearing his broad-brimmed red hat during his ride through the throng, and then donning the splendid white and gold robes of his office as he said the Mass, surrounded by cardinals and bishops in red vestments.
Vatican pressmen struggled to get good pictures of the extraordinary scene, and ran foul of baton-wielding PNG policemen, struggling even more determinedly to protect their visitor. One photographer was munched on the leg by a police dog caught up in the general enthusiasm.
Earlier, in Port Moresby, the Pope was treated to a grand official welcome at Jackson’s Airport, by the Governor- General. Sir Kingsford Dibela, and the prime minister, Mr Michael Somare, accompanied by all the dignitaries and chief citizens of Port Moresby, and other cities and towns.
From PNG the Papal party went to Honiara for one day, but non-Vatican journalists were banned from covering the visit because of Solomons government nervousness about terrorists slipping in disguised as newsmen.
Grandstand view from a tree on Mt Hagen golf course for fifteen Highlanders attending the open-air Mass.
Highland warriors declared a truce in tribal fighting, left their bows and arrows at home, and turned up in their splendid traditional ceremonial dress, with spears, to greet the Pope.
Nearly 200,000 people thronged Mt Hagen for the Pope’s visit. Flanked by police cars, attended by cardinals, he was given a tumultuous welcome.
A gift of arrows, hunting variety, for the Pope, handed up to his Land Rover from the pressed-tight crowd.
Off to Honiara: The Pope boards an Air Niugini F28 jet airliner for the trip from Port Moresby to Honiara on May 9.