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To celebrate the university’s 50th anniversary, FIU News is sharing 50 moments in FIU’s history as part of our “50@50″ series.
By Joel Delgado ’12 MS ’17
In September of 1987, Pope John Paul II arrived in Miami to begin a 10-day tour of the United States – which included a visit to FIU.
Greeted by President Ronald Reagan at Miami International Airport, John Paul arrived at then-University Park Campus on Sept. 11 to offer a mass. After five months of preparation, thousands gathered at the site (where the Residence Halls are today) for the ceremony – many brought in by approximately 1,000 buses throughout Miami-Dade County.
David Gerrits, the president of Gerrits Construction, was tasked with helping lead the construction of the altar and stage that would be used for the mass, including the installation of a gleaming 100-foot steel cross above the altar that could be seen all the way from Bird Road.
Pope John Paul II (right) visits FIU during his 10-day tour of the U.S. in 1987.
He worked closely with FIU officials to help make the event a special one for the university and the South Florida community.
“It was a big undertaking that took months to prepare for,” Gerrits said. “There were a lot of people involved from the city and county to the Secret Service and Archdiocese.”
The pope arrived in the famous Pope-mobile in the early afternoon, maneuvering through the thousands already on hand awaiting his arrival to get to the altar. Unfortunately, soon after the event began, rain and lightning forced the suspension of the event.
In Beyond The Tower: The History of Florida International University, former Director of the FIU Broward Center Patrick Russell recalled the experience: “We felt like little kids whose mother had called them inside from playing in the rain… Everyone was soaked, but they stayed.”
The pope retired to the sacristy built behind the altar and, together with the cardinals and bishops, finished Holy Mass in the safety of the trailer.
Gerrits, who happened to be in the vicinity helping carry items off the altar when the pope was taken inside, was invited into the sacristy by the Secret Service and was the only civilian in the room, providing him an experience he would never forget.
“The second it was over, I jumped out of the trailer, walked about a half mile across campus and if my feet hit the ground, I don’t remember feeling it. I was on cloud nine,” Gerrits recalls. “It was an incredible experience.”
An hour later, the crowd’s patience and resilience in the face of the inclement weather was rewarded when the pope went back outside and blessed them before leaving.
Below is a look at the altar for the Pope’s visit and where it was located on campus in relation to how the campus looked in 1987 and how it looks today.
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[…] 50@50: Pope John Paul II comes to FIU in 1987 […]
Myself JoAnne Rosemary other members of our family where there. Came the night before spent the night waiting for his arrival. The entire crowd got very wet……it was very spiritual and inspiring for us all.
While I cannot recall that quote, I do remember that event pretty well. We were volunteering for this event and it required us staying overnight on campus so we could be available in the early morning for this occasion. I remember sleeping on a cot in the former University House (now Graham Center) so I could be available. Totally memorable!!
I was fortunate enough to have volunteered at this event. It was an unforgettable experience. True piety in the air!!
I will never forget this day either! The part of the celebration that astonished me and many others was the rainbow that appeared in the sky when the Pope arrived in his pope mobile heading into the FIU crowd! It had been pouring down rain and then the rain stopped and the rainbow appeared in the sky. It sounded like a thousand people saw it and everyone went “awww” in unison. I always tell people about this miracle that many of us experienced!