From babies in arms to over seventies: all age groups were there, in the esplanade of Marienfeld, for the closing Mass of the XX WYD. Two elderly people, Carmen Ampero Salon, 69, and her husband Teofilo Aponte, 72, are from Puerto Rico. "It is our first time explains Carmen at a World Youth Day, in Europe and above all our first journey by plane". The reason? "To meet the new Pope. I have been impressed by his sweet smile after the election: I think he will be a good Pope". The Apontes have come to Cologne with their daughter, a nun, named Iliana of the Daughters of Charity, who led to the WYD a group of 43 boys and girls from Saint Vincent’s Marian Youth.
