A sea of more than 20,000 faithful filled St. Peter's Square to hear Pope Francis celebrate Mass for the Epiphany on January 6. The Pontiff welcomed them all, but had a special greeting for Siena.
Thirty three Siena students in MGMT 290 deepened their understanding of the Franciscan tradition on a 10-day pilgrimage of Italy's most sacred and recognizable landmarks. The trip concluded in the presence of perhaps the most recognizable person in the world. And he welcomed the Saints by name. (For more on the pilgrimage, watch Saints Go Marching.)
Pope Francis appeared at the window from his small study in the Papal apartments, addressed the crowd, and specifically acknowledged the pilgrims from Siena in New York. The shout out was in Italian (which you can watch above), so not all of the students picked up on it right away, but Siena's tour guide quickly translated the message - "He's talking about you!"
News 10 ABC was among the local news outlets to report on the holy name drop. Their coverage includes reaction from trip leader Fr. Mark Reamer, O.F.M., vice president for mission, and Emma Bidell '21. Watch the full report!
