Two 12 year-olds yesterday were confirmed by the Pope at a ceremony in St Peter’s Square in Rome.Cobh native Emily travelled to Rome with her parents Margaret and Paul, her sister Sophie, 10, and her twin brothers Andrew and Luke, 7.
She said that while she was “really nervous” in the moments before the Confirmation itself, the Pope was very nice.
The children even managed to respond to the blessing in Italian and kissed the pontiff on the cheek.
“There are no words to describe how we felt,” Emily said afterwards.
The ceremony lasted two hours after which the participants were given a picture of the Pope.
Emily and her mother and sponsor, Margaret, said they did not know until the day before the ceremony that it would actually be the Pope who would be carrying out the Confirmations.
“I thought it might be a cardinal or a bishop,” said Emily.
“It was overwhelming, absolutely fantastic. I cannot express how emotional we were,” said Margaret. “As soon as the Pope appeared, you could have heard a pin drop.
“We are all so very proud. They did the diocese proud and Ireland proud.”
Fermoy native Edmond, who had “swotted up” on the Pope in advance of the ceremony was accompanied to Rome, by his mother, Bernadette his older brother, David, 15, and Edmond’s grandmother and uncle who are his godparents.
The children were chosen after the Vatican wrote to the Diocese of Cloyne inviting it to nominate a boy and girl to travel to Rome for the Confirmation. Bishop William Crean decided that, as he was also parish priest in Fermoy and Cobh, he would carry out a draw among altar servers in both towns.