Icing.

My favorite post so far from Tim Drake, blogging from WYD in Germany:

There are some who mistakenly think that World Youth Day begins when the Pope arrives and schedule their television and news coverage accordingly. But to be here for the duration of World Youth Day from beginning to end is to get a picture of the "full" World Youth Day…

Granted, there are literally hundreds of events taking place at any one time throughout the city. No journalist could cover all of that. But being here ahead of time does provide a more complete picture. It also puts the pope’s visit in context.

As one young man told me, "We are here to celebrate Christ. The Pope is like icing on the cake."

The U.S. media’s ignoring everything that happens before Pope Benedict arrives.  One of the side effects:  it makes WYD look more like a cult of personality surrounding the Pope. 

I can’t imagine this helps Protestants understand us any better.