As the UK prepares for Pope Benedict's visit, one Northamptonshire man remembers his own part in the celebrations when Pope John Paul II came in 1982.Mick Loftus assisted the Pontiff during Mass at Coventry Airport.
He was one of only eight young people chosen to take part in the event.
He explains what it was like being one of the 325,000 people who spent some time with Pope John II.
Wearing rings!
I was an altar boy at the Cathedral and I was approached by the Canon at the time and asked if I would like to serve for the Pope at the Coventry mass, and I obviously said I'd be delighted," he said.
We had some rehearsals in Coventry and I quickly realised that, out of the eight boys chosen, I would be one of the four who would be close to the Pope and the altar and would hand his crozier (staff) to his assistant.
It was very clear what was required of us - it was like a military operation.
It took over my life for a while.
People were asking me to wear their rings so they would touch the Pope's hand and all sorts of bizarre things, and I was interviewed for the local newspaper.
Television cameras
The group went to Coventry the night before the Mass.
It was a lovely summer's evening so we camped out on deckchairs. My security pass allowed me to wander anywhere I wanted.
I went in and out of the marquees and never slept all night - I was too nervous.
We had another rehearsal an hour or two before the Mass, and it was quite something to look out over 300,000 people on the vast expanse of the field.
The television cameras were following us round during the rehearsal and one seemed to be about a foot from my head.
I was wearing a long tunic and the steps to the altar were quite narrow so I was terrified that I was going to trip over in front of the cameras.
Felt very privileged
We were in the marquee when the helicopter landed. He came into the marquee, greeted us and shook our hands and thanked us for our efforts.
He just looked so tired - that is one of the memories I have of him.
His bodyguards shook our hands as well and opened their jackets to show us their guns for some reason, which I was quite intrigued by as a 15-year-old boy.
There were no problems with my part in the service, although I was very hot wearing a shirt and tie, and a tunic.
I remember resting my finger on the crozier and thinking "the Pope does the same as this" because he used to rest his finger in the same place.
I thought "I'm holding this, and he's going to hold it in a minute" - I felt very privileged.
A lot of people wanted to talk to me about my experience when I got back.
The tag stayed with me at school, and it is still with me to this day.
It is a very positive thing and I am very proud of it.
At the time, I remember talking about the Pope being head of the Catholic Church on the planet, and to have the opportunity to stand beside him doing the things I did in church every Sunday was absolutely awe-inspiring.
SIC: BBC/UK
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