Transcript

So first of all, I- I have to say, it was a really unique experience.

Obviously, I'm an orthodox Jew.

I've never been to a Catholic service, let alone to what I experienced today.

It really is an amazing thing.

So what- what's sort of the history of, of this particular event?

A- apparently it happens every Wednesday.

And it really is a beautiful thing.

I mean, watching tens of thousands of people congregate in St. Peter's Square just to hear from Pope Leo, it's an amazing thing.

Yeah, so the pope traditionally holds a Wednesday audience where mass will be celebrated and he'll give an address.

You know, sometimes he'll celebrate the Angelus.

And it's a wonderful opportunity for people to be able to come and, and hear from the pope, that really Starting in the 20th century, a lot of popes made themselves more available.

I mean, for much of church history, the pope was, was a monarch a- and, you know, he still is, but he was someone that was, you know, just in the Vatican away from most people, not as accessible.

But we started seeing with Pope Paul VI and the 20th century popes this greater availability, and of course, with Pope Saint John Paul II traveling all over the world, followed by Pope Benedict and Pope Francis.

This ability to be able to see the pope when you're in Rome, it's a wonderful thing.

I was able to meet Pope Francis myself at a Wednesday audience in 2013 after his election.

My wife and I had just gotten married, and there's a tradition called Sposi Novelli where, if you've just been married in the Catholic Church and you attend a Wednesday audience, you have the opportunity to meet the pope.

Yeah.

That, that, that I saw right behind me, there were a series of brides and grooms.

They were in their wedding dresses.

Yes.

The brides, obviously.

Uh, and, uh, and they, they got to approach the pope afterward, which was really an amazing thing.