The following morning was Holy Saturday, a very quiet day in the Vatican.

But that evening was the Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica, which ended at midnight, and then it was Easter Sunday! Margaret knew that Easter is the day we celebrate Jesus’s coming back to life. Easter means that Holy Week is over. Jesus shows us what resurrection means.

That Sunday morning, bells were ringing in the Vatican and in all the churches of Rome. Margaret could hear those joyful bells, but it wasn’t the bells that woke her up. She was up at dawn, ready to go.

The Pope gave her a look of surprise when he saw her standing at his feet before he had even gotten out of bed. “Darling Margaret! My, my, you are up and ready for this special day, aren’t you?” he said.

She looked at him and smiled.

“Christ is risen!” the Pope said. At that moment, Father Felipe walked into the room. “Excuse me, Holy Father, I was coming in to be sure you were awake. Big day today!”

“Margaret already woke me up, Felipe, but thank you,” the Pope said.

Then he turned back to face Margaret. He whispered to her, “You know what we’re going to do tonight to celebrate?”

Margaret looked at him with anticipation.

“We’re going to ask the cooks to make us some pizza!” he said. “Not just any pizza—Pizza a Caballo.”

If you didn’t grow up speaking Spanish, you might not know what that means.

A caballo means “on horseback” because Pizza a Caballo has something extra—a piece of delicious flatbread on top. It’s like eating a pizza sandwich!

Margaret purrrrred and licked her lips.

When the Pope was dressed, he picked up Margaret and opened the door to the apartment.

There, in the hallway, waiting patiently, were Father Felipe and some other members of the Curia.

Two Swiss Guards were also there, waiting to escort them down the stairs and onto the balcony where the Pope would give a special Easter greeting to a huge crowd that had gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

What exactly is going to happen, next? Margaret wondered. She thought about this while they walked down the stairs.

“Urbi et orbi,” said the Pope, as they headed toward the open doors and the crowd below.

“You remember this, don’t you, Margaret?”

By now, there were a few secretaries running beside them, as well. It seemed to Margaret as if there were people hurrying everywhere.

The Pope picked Margaret up. “Urbi et orbi, my dear. Remember? It is time for me to speak to the City and to the World.”

“What do you think I should say?” he whispered gently in her ear.

Margaret thought. She pondered all that she had experienced during her first Holy Week. Then, she thought about Easter. She wanted to keep on thinking, but suddenly the Pope set her down on the balcony beside him. Margaret could see thousands of people in the Square below. She watched as the Pope approached the microphone that was there. Then, she heard the crowd begin to cheer.

THE END