Yankee stadium was packed yesterday afternoon - but not with the usual baseball fans.
Almost 60,000 people from all over the country gathered to attend a mass led by Pope Benedict XVI during his first trip to the United States as leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
About 15 Penn students traveled to New York to attend the mass, which marked the end of the pope's six-day visit to Washington D.C. and New York.
The trip was organized by the Penn Newman Center, the campus' Catholic student hub.
Three buses of college students from the Philadelphia area, including Penn, St. Joseph's, Drexel and Temple universities, traveled to New York together.
Students said the trip was worthwhile and seeing the pope in person was inspirational.
College senior Luly Trevino called the service "beautiful."
"It was worth getting up at six in the morning," she said. "It's easier to see the pope here than to go to Rome."
Other students said the number of people who attended the Mass was impressive.
"The most striking thing about it was the size of the crowd," College and Wharton junior John Bninski said.
Bninksi added that, because he was sitting so far away from the pope, "in terms of personal contact or interaction, I've been more influenced by what he's written rather than seeing him."
In his homily during mass, Benedict focused on the importance of obedience to the Church, even in a country that prizes individual freedom.
According to Bninksi, the homily was "well delivered."
Bninksi said it was notable that the pope spoke in both English and Spanish and that "there was definitely an energetic Spanish-speaking component of the crowd."
Catholics from all 195 U.S. dioceses attended the Mass. Penn students entered a lottery to receive tickets from the Philadelphia diocese. The students' only expense was paying for the bus ride.
Several musical groups, including headliner Harry Connick Jr. performed in a "Concert of Hope" before the mass.
Earlier yesterday morning, during a ceremony at Ground Zero, Benedict blessed the World Trade Center site and prayed for those who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
