For Pope, Another Excursion, and a Gift Loaf

John Paul II began his excursions in the Italian Alps on Tuesday, when, despite a light rain, the papal party left the vacation chalet around 10:45 a.m.

Riding in the front seat of the car, the Holy Father greeted some 20 people who were waiting for him at the intersection leading to Arvier. Tuesday´s destination was La Haut, in the municipality of La Salle, some 1,700 meters (5,600 feet) above sea level. Following his arrival, the Pope walked by the river that runs along the valley, and spent time reading.

During the journey, he was greeted by Aldo Chabod, a baker who every year somehow succeeds in giving the Holy Father a freshly baked loaf.

In the afternoon, after a seven-hour outing, the papal party returned to Les Combes. Residents of the local villages greeted the Holy Father as he passed by. The car stopped several times for John Paul II to greet people of all ages, including a 1-year-old and an 8-month-old.

The group accompanying the Pope includes Bishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, his personal secretary, and Father Tadeus Styczen, who succeeded Karol Wojtyla at the Catholic University of Lublin. The vacation is scheduled to end July 20.