Ex-pope to return to Vatican ‘probably’ Thursday
Pope emeritus Benedict XVI will “probably” return to the Vatican on Thursday, a spokesman for the Holy See said, two months after the German pontiff’s resignation stunned the world.
Pope emeritus Benedict XVI will “probably” return to the Vatican on Thursday, a spokesman for the Holy See said, two months after the German pontiff’s resignation stunned the world.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Tuesday celebrates his 86th birthday as the first former pope in over 700 years at his temporary home of Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence near Rome.
Pope Francis and his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, met at Castel Gandolfo, their first since the latter stepped down from the papacy on February 28 because of old age.
Pope Francis flew in for an unprecedented encounter with his predecessor Benedict XVI at the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo near Rome — a first in Catholic Church history.
Pope Francis will visit his predecessor Benedict XVI on March 23 for the first time since his election, the Vatican said on Saturday.
Cardinals, clergy and common pilgrims erupted into thunderous applause at the mention of “pope emeritus” Benedict XVI on Tuesday at a special mass in St Peter’s Basilica ahead of a conclave to elect his successor following his surprise resignation.
Catholic cardinals had a final day of jockeying for position on Monday before shutting themselves into the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope after Benedict XVI’s shock resignation, with an Italian and a Brazilian who both head powerful archdioceses among the top contenders.
The 115 cardinals who will start meeting on Tuesday to elect the next pope are lodging at Casa Santa Marta, a residence near the Sistine Chapel where they will be casting their votes.
The two American cardinals sat on the stage, microphones in hand, fielding questions from the world’s news media on everything from the delayed arrival of some of their colleagues to their own wardrobe choices if elected pope.
Catholic cardinals begin talks on Monday ahead of a conclave to elect the next pope, following Benedict XVI’s historic resignation, as a British cardinal not in attendance admitted to sexual misconduct with priests.
I was moved watching the coverage “Farewell to a Pope” from the last audience with the cardinals to the 20-minute flight to Castel Gandolfo. The camera followed the helicopter that brought Benedict XVI from the Vatican to the Castel Gandolfo.
“Pope Live” follows the events of the final day of Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy as seen by journalists from The Associated Press around the world.
In the final moments of Benedict XVI’s papacy, the church bells began ringing. It was 8 p.m. in the Italian hill town of Castel Gandolfo, 8 p.m. in the Vatican, 8 p.m. across Italy—the chosen time on the chosen day that the one who was chosen decided to retire.
