Pilgrims queuing up at the Information Office at the central railway station of Cologne, or crowding around the Info Points, or roaming about the town, virtually emptied of youth and that has gone back to its normal life for a few hours: last-minute pilgrims were trying to find ways of getting to Marienfeld while the Vigil had already started, while others for various reasons had given up going. Like Max Bower, 22 years old, from Hamburg, who went to Marienfeld but had to leave, accompanied by a friend, because of a sprained ankle: "I will try to find a TV, at least to see the Mass". At 9 p.m. a group from New Jersey (USA) was still at the station waiting for the last trains to Marienfeld. Isn’t it a bit late? "It’s never too late says Paula Smith, 28 years old. We’re going now and we’ll sleep there and at least we’ll be able to attend Mass". Another group of twenty very young German girls from a parish of Delmenhasst, near Bremen, did not go to the Vigil "because the girls are under 16, and they wouldn’t let us in", says one of the two escorts, Petra Kloker, 30 years old: "We’ll go tomorrow". Sophia Haskamp, 14, is sorry but she hopes "to see the Pope at the Mass". The alleged age restriction is however confuted by the volunteers at the Info Points of the Station that is still quite crowded: "Minors need to be accompanied", and they add "There are still lots of people who want to register at the last minute. Mass is going to be attended by a huge crowd" says Kristen Haag, a 27 year-old Swiss. In the meantime the citizens of Cologne and the tourists have regained control of the Cathedral Square and of the surrounding streets. A normalcy that will last only a few hours because when Mass is over the crowds of youth will be flowing back into town for their departure.
