By Robert Palazzolo

“Pontifex Maximus” is one of the many titles used for the pope, and it was once the title for the High Priest of the old gods of Ancient Rome. But as centuries wore on and Rome became predominantly Christian, the honorific titlewas handed over to the Bishop of Rome, also known as the Pope, as the leader of the new faith of the Romans.

In Central Park last Friday, Sept. 25, current Pontifex Maximus Pope Francis was thrown a celebration not unlike the Triumphs (parades) given to prominent Romans thousands of years ago.
There were, of course, differences. This triumph was not in honor of some kind of military victory — the only conquest this man has is of people’s hearts. In addition, this Pontifex Maximus rode in a white Jeep instead of a chariot through a crowd that was tens of thousands strong.

Chris Moore, FCRH ’17, was one of the Fordham students who secured a ticket to the event. He said he was lucky enough to be only ten feet from the barricade, and taller than the people in front of him. He thought that meant the view would be perfect — but the excitement of the crowd upended that plan.
“Then we heard a car drive by, and everyone freaks out, stands on their tiptoes and holds their camera up in the air. So then it was kind of hard to see at that point,” said Moore.

The parade through Central Park began after Pope Francis’s visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels school on 112th Street in East Harlem. There, the Pope was breathlessly greeted by students, posed for selfies and embraced everyone who came near.

But the Central Park parade set a new level of adulation for the Pontifex. Police said around 85 thousand people made it into the park. Devoted individuals camped out before dawn in order to secure a good spot.
The pope, late from leaving Our Lady Queen of Angels, arrived in Central Park in his Black Fiat 500L — a long way off from the limousine used in most motorcades) by around 5:20 p.m. After a quick change to the white Jeep (the “Popemobile”), he was off down the West Drive.

The Pontifex was surrounded by an enormous security detail. Moore said the motorcade included so many cars ahead of the pope that the crowd was unsure when he was actually coming.

“From like 3 o’clock on, everyone was standing up and expecting him at any moment. So every time a car drove by, you could just hear people yelling, and everyone would get really excited, only to find the Pope was actually still on the way,” Moore said.

Unlike the motorcade in Washington D.C., there were no children breaking through barricades to embrace the Pope and give him gifts. Security was far too tight —dozens of men surrounded the Popemobile at all times. There was no moment of spontaneous crowd mingling as in other cities.

Even outside the security zone (which was encapsulated by a ten-foot fence) in Columbus Circle, police officers were everywhere. Security checkpoints were even set up at the entrance to the Time Warner Center.

The sheer size of the crowd did cause some problems. In addition to the aforementioned lines, restroom service was less than ideal. Portable restrooms were set up, but lines were, in some places, 45 minutes long. Frustration grew. Many of the facilities were out of toilet paper. Water ran low. Tempers simmered. Scattered shouting matches began.

But it did not matter. The Pope, as always, had a smile on his face. He waved to the delight of onlookers, some of whom burst into tears. The Bishop of Rome’s bright white robes shone in the late-afternoon sun against the backdrop of trees with just a hint of the orange and gold of autumn on their leaves.

“It was a very, very moving event,” said Moore.

The moment was fleeting, however. By 5:20 p.m., the fifteen minutes of triumphant parading were over. The Pope, the man who commands so much respect and adulation, climbed back into his Fiat and was driven to Madison Square Garden for Mass as the crowd dispersed.

Of course, it was not entirely that easy. Eighty five thousand people (plus more un-ticketed people from the area) cannot dissapate instantaneously.

Problems were apparent from the moment one descended into the Columbus Circle subway station. MTA officials gave up on collecting fares — fearful of the bottleneck that would ensue at turnstiles, they just opened the emergency exit doors and waved the sea of humanity through. Due to overcrowding, D trains were running local on the West Side. The temperature in the subway was noticeably higher than outside.

Police were everywhere.

For Fordham students looking to take the Ram Van without a reservation, things also looked bleak. Dozens of people waited inside and outside at the Lincoln Center campus a block away.

But for Bernadette Haig, FCRH ’18, the chance to see the triumph of the Pope, the Holy Father, the Pontifex Maximus, Bishop of Rome and spiritual leader of over a billion Catholics around the world outweighed any of the struggles. She said she had to see him.

“Pope Francis has captivated the world with his humility and kindness…there’s something magnetic about him,” said Haig.

That magnetism — something cited by countless fans of Francis — makes it seem fitting, then, that the Pope’s Latin title, “Pontifex Maximus,” derives from the Latin, “Greatest bridge-builder.”

But etymology, titles and Roman history aside, Haig said that above all, that late September afternoon was simply an experience she will never forget.

“To stand [in] this great man’s presence was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything,” said Haig.

Eighty thousand New Yorkers agreed.