1 Million Attend Papal Mass at Racetrack

Pope John Paul II offered tough challenges and affectionate encouragement Sunday to more than 1 million faithful attending Mass at a racetrack–one of the biggest crowds he has seen in years.

In a spirited voice despite the wilting heat, the 77-year-old pontiff counseled young followers gathered at the closing ceremonies of World Youth Day to be strong in seeking meaning in life.

“The world is wonderful and rich: It sets before us countless treasures,” John Paul said in his final homily before returning home to Rome. “But in the end, it does not satisfy our spirit.”

“Dear young people, your journey does not end here… . Go forth now along the roads of the world, along the pathways of humanity,” the pope said, urging his audience to build a “civilization of love” and unity.

Police estimates of the crowd at the Longchamp racetrack in western Paris were twice what organizers expected.

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The pope, eager to keep the enthusiasm of young Roman Catholics high, announced the next mega-rendezvous: Rome in 2000.

Speaking under an umbrella to shield him from the scorching sun, John Paul told the young people that renewed morality doesn’t come easily and that they might have to pay “heroic” prices for “moral choices opposed to worldly behavior.”

In the context of celebrating youth, the pope announced Sunday that he was making Saint Theresa of Lisieux, a pious young French Carmelite nun who died 100 years ago at 24, a doctor of the church.

Most of the faithful had attended a papal prayer vigil Saturday evening and then slept on blankets or in sleeping bags in the center of the track. Benedictine nuns, singing a chant, woke the crowd about 6 a.m.

The heat took its toll on the pilgrims: Nearly 80 were hospitalized and about 4,000 others received medical treatment, mainly for heat-related problems, police said.