The presidential couple was among the record crowd that watched the beatification of Pope John Paul II in Rome last Sunday.

Newspapers had predicted that the beatification event of Pope John Paul II was going to be a record-breaking crowd puller. And indeed, it was. Crowd experts say the turnout at Sunday’s event at St Peter’s Square in Rome was hardly less than the one organized for his burial from the same square on April 8, 2005. Six years into death, one of the most popular popes of modern times was still receiving the same encomiums as if he was alive. This great Pontiff was a citizen of the world; but for many Cameroonians, he was a very special pope. Not only was he the first Pope to set foot on Cameroonian soil, he sent Cameroonians going wild with joy when he made a second visit by a reigning pope. The death of John Paul II sent many Cameroonians well across the religious divide, mourning inconsolably. The announcement of his beatification came to turn consolation into joy, as many believe they have one of theirs on the road to sainthood; with the assumption, in Catholic belief, that he is in heaven and can, therefore intervene for Cameroonians with the Almighty.

The two papal visits to Cameroon occurred incidentally with President Paul Biya in power. Even beyond diplomatic considerations, the Presidential family had every reason to consider the Pope as one of their close ones. In fact on the two visits, the Holy Father made it a point of duty to commune with the presidential family. On the second visit in 1995, he personally administered the sacrament of baptism to one of the Biya children. For all this solicitude to the people of Cameroon and to his immediate family, President Paul Biya could not have stayed away from such an important event concerning Pope John Paul II just as he was present for his burial in 2005.

The President and the First Lady flew into Rome’s Fumicino at about 6.30pm (5.30 Yaounde time). After a formal welcome by the chief of papal protocol, President and Mrs Biya drove for one hour to Rome’s Cavalieri Roma hotel. At the hotel precincts, several delegations of Italy-based Cameroonian associations had virtually besieged the area, making it very difficult for security officials to keep the chanting crowd under check and to prevent them from disturbing other customers of the hotel. There was hardly any space left for other visitors as the hotel lobby and the entrance were all occupied with anxious compatriots eager to be among the privileged few to shake hands with the presidential couple on arrival. Apart from an impressive turnout of Cameroonian priests studying in Rome, the dress outfits clearly indicated that delegations came from all the four corners of the Republic. The exuberant “Bamenda” attire was all over the place. So was the distinctive “Ndop” outfit from the West Region accompanied with decorative beads. The “sawa” made an impressive showing with their white shirts and extravagant wrappers while those from the Fang-Beti cultural realm could be easily noticed with their cries of joy in the Beti language. The crowd went hysteric when the Presidential limousine taxied to a halt and excitement went further when the presidential couple continued to acknowledge the greetings from the happy group. The next day Sunday, President Biya and the First Lady were among the early arrivals at the mass. Before taking up their seats to the immediate left of the Pope, they had been introduced into some of the inner sections of St Peter’s Basilica. The couple sat prayerfully all through the 265-minute mass flanked by a number of other world leaders. Of the 15 Heads of State present three others came from Africa: Presidents Sassou-Nguesso of the Republic of Congo, Faure Gnassingbe of Togo and Robert Gabriel Mugabe of Zimbabwe. After the mass, the Presidential couple joined other worshippers in praying briefly before the coffin of the Blessed John Paul 11 which had been brought before Altar of Confession in the Basilica.