ROME » Pope Benedict XVI came within a few feet of nine Hansen’s disease patients from Kalaupapa, Molokai, on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square during a ceremony in which Benedict thanked "Hawaiian dancers for their performances."

The patients, who made the nearly 10,000-mile pilgrimage to the Vatican to witness Sunday’s canonization of Mother Marianne Cope for her work in Kalaupapa, had a front-row seat for Wednesday’s "papal audience" attended by thousands of people crammed inside the square.

Under a glorious blue sky, Wednesday’s event represented one of the many high points so far for more than 200 Hawaii residents who last week visited Syracuse and Utica, N.Y., where Cope began her own journey to Hawaii in 1883, en route to her work worthy of a saint in Kalaupapa.

On Sunday, Hansen’s disease patient Pauline Chow will receive communion from the pope.

On Wednesday, Chow came nearly as close to Benedict when his custom Mercedes Popemobile drove right past her and the other patients, many of whom sat through the hourlong ceremony in wheelchairs.

Speaking in several languages, including Italian and German, Benedict said in English that he "thanked Hawaiian dancers for their performances," generating a raucous cheer from the contingent of Hawaii pilgrims sprinkled throughout St. Peter’s Square.

Just to the left of the pope, who remained seated throughout the ceremony, Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva sat among other bishops, monsignors and a cardinal and called his second meeting with Benedict a special moment.

"I can hardly put into words what it means to be right there with the head of the universal church," Silva said moments after the event ended and right before the pope drove past the Hansen’s disease patients.

Only a few people inside St. Peter’s Square got a better view of the pope than Sister Davilyn Ah Chick of Ewa Beach, a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, who sat just 15 stair steps away from Benedict on the opposite side of St. Peter’s Square from the Hansen’s disease patients.

Ah Chick has seen four different popes in person — but none from as close as she got to Benedict on Wednesday.

"Words cannot express one’s feeling when exciting things like this happen," Ah Chick said.

Ah Chick wore a kukui-nut-and-shell lei for the ceremony and brought dozens of religious items for the pope’s blessing, including several Cope medals that she plans to give to family and friends in Hawaii "so they know I’ve been here," Ah Chick said.

The contingent from Hawaii celebrated Mass later in the day with Silva inside the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where a piece of Jesus’ manger is preserved beneath the sanctuary.

Today the Hawaii pilgrims travel to the medieval town of Assisi — home of St. Francis, the patron saint of Italy — where they will celebrate Mass at St. Francis Basilica.