I was always a fan of the current Pope, El Papa Francisco. Everything I read about him somehow always made me like him a little more. Stories about him getting out of his Popemobile to be among the people despite security concerns, and his statements of compassion towards the gay community made me feel proud to be a Catholic.

When I heard Pope Francis was coming to New York, I didn’t intend to take part in the official events, preferring the flawless view I could probably get on my TV of his New York travels. But then, my father sent me an email with a link to enter the lottery for free tickets to his Central Park procession. Being a fan of anything that’s free, I thought, “Why not?,” and entered the lottery.

About a week or so later, the City of New York sent an email with the subject line reading, “Congratulations: Central Park Papal Procession.” This is how I ended up smack in the middle of “Pope Mania.”

The day of the Pontiff’s visit was pandemonium. I exited the 59th Street Columbus Circle train station at around 10:45 a.m. and blended in to a huge crowd. Across the street I could see white tents — I knew I was at the right place.

After a restroom stop at a nearby Starbucks, my friends and I (who also received free tickets) made our way to the park, underestimating the amount of time it would take to get in and navigate through the crowds that included vendors selling Pope Francis buttons, Vatican flags, and T-shirts that read “The People’s Pope.” Of course I bought a $2 Vatican flag as a memory of the one time I saw the Pope.

Entering Central Park was confusing at first. But we entered at 61st Street and immediately saw the huge crowds. There were barricades set up, apportioning the street into three parts–two for the lines, and on the outside of the barricades were officers, police canines, and occasionally photographers. Finally, after a tough screening, my friends and I entered.

As we waited, I looked around. I saw couples, a baby being raised in the air, someone with a bouquet of flowers, and even crowds gathering at the balconies of the residential buildings across the street. It seems as though everyone in the city had claimed their seat for Pope Watch 2015.

Finally, the crowd’s cheers turned into a roar and I had no doubt Pope Francis had arrived. I quickly searched for him, and when he appeared, all I saw was his zucchetto (skullcap) as he rode in the Popemobile. In the few moments it took for him to go by, I observed emotional tears, heard cheers, saw worry on the faces of people who could not even catch a glimpse, and I felt my own excitement, yet disappointment, that I only caught a two-second peek at the People’s Pope.

Yes, I had spent hours and hours waiting on line for such a brief glimpse, but the experience was priceless.