PRESENCE OF THE POPE

Tears welled up in Sister Deborah Troilette's eyes as she listened to the pope during Mass. Troilette had seen the pontiff before but was moved by the power of the largest indoor Mass.

Mary Barron comforted her 18-year-old son, Mark, after he received communion Wednesday at Mass held inside the Trans World Dome in St. Louis. Mark suffers from cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair.

Nearly 40,000 youth marched along the downtown streets of St. Louis Tuesday morning prior to the pope's arrival. His two-day visit to St. Louis was his only scheduled trip to the U.S. this year.

Yellow and white umbrellas identified communion stations where 1,000 priests and deacons administered hosts to a crowd of 100,000 people inside the Trans World Dome and America's Center.

People lined the streets and venues in St. Louis to get a glimpse of Pope John Paul inside his popemobile.

The Mass inside the Trans World Dome Wednesday was the largest indoor Mass ever to be celebrated. A standing-room only crowd gathered as early as 4 a.m. for the service.

It was a moment worth remembering.

The sight of Pope John Paul II:

-- As he descended the staircase from his plane Shepherd One.

-- As he was greeted by President Bill Clinton

-- As he smiled and joked with 20,000 youth inside Kiel Center.

-- Greeting Mark McGwire, home run king and pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, a fellow Roman Catholic.

-- Hugging children who had presented him with gifts.

-- Celebrating Mass with 1,000 priests and nearly 250 cardinals, archbishops and bishops seated to his right and left.

-- Entering the chapel at Cathedral Basilica and bending down on a needlepoint-covered kneeler that was crafted by a Perryville woman.

-- Waving farewell from the steps of his plane just before it left for Rome.

These are the images from the pope's visit to St. Louis Tuesday and Wednesday.

These are the moments that will never be forgotten.

Hundreds of thousands of faithful followers traveled to the city just to see the leader of their church. Most were happy with a glimpse of him inside the popemobile. Others were lucky enough to have tickets for the events.

Many in Southeast Missouri were part of the crowds who made that pilgrimage. And they all came back energized, blessed and bubbling with enthusiasm and excitement about the pope and their parish.

The accompanying photos captured just a few quick moments in the 31-hour visit of the pope, his only scheduled trip to the United States this year.