The Best Day in Roma!
Today was the day I have been waiting for this entire trip. Going to Vatican City for a Papal Audience. Seeing the Pope in person is not something everyone gets to do in their lifetime. I am one of the lucky ducks that could! "Visiting" the Pope in person can happen in two ways, one on Sunday's at noon when the Pope gives the crowd a blessing from his apartment window. We saw this happen when we came out of the Basilica Sunday and we were all bunched up like sardines. The other way is to get tickets, that are free, but mandatory for a seated section in the square, for a Wednesday when the Pope gives a more formal visit to everyone. I am in the second category.
This morning my class gathered in the hotel lobby at 7am to begin heading to the Vatican. Once we arrived we had to clear security in order to get into the square because its Wednesday, but oddly and sadly the security was pretty lax. The detectors would go off right and left and no one did anything about it; it was like an honor system. Scary thought, because when Pope Benedict XVI arrived, he was not in his bullet-proof Pope-mobile, he had the cap off. I for one do not want to see any repeat shootings of the Pope like what happened to Blessed Pope John Paul II.
Luckily for us, our seats were in a pretty good location. We were able to get within 10 feet of the Pope, as he was driving in. He actually drives through the crowds. Okay not really, those of us who have reserved seats, those sections are barricaded before the Pope comes out and he rides around the isles. As they drive through, he smiles, waves, and blesses everyone. This was a perfect opportunity for pictures. See below!
Needless to say the Papal audience was the best part of my Pilgrimage to Rome. It is an experience that I will cherish forever. It is one thing to watch the Pope on television, but its a whole another world when you are in person. After the Pope has made his grand entrance and is driven through the crowd, the Pope takes his seat at the front under a canopied platform. This is when arch-bishops speaking in their
native languages, come up one by one
presenting us, the crowd to the Pope. When our school, Ohio Dominican University, was called out we all went ballistic. We all jumped up and starting screaming and waving our arms, making ourselves known to Pope Benedict. Then we got the little wave and blessing from him! Other groups stood up and some even sang a song for him. When this happened the crowds went silent and the Pope listened intently and patiently until they were finished and then he waved at them. Pope Benedict made it a point to look and wave at every group that cheered. This was a long process because there were around 8 different languages to be addressed by an arch-bishop and then the Pope also addressed them in their spoken language. It was amazing to here him speak in so many different tongues, it really shows how educated he is, not that this was in question however. Just think he does this every week! Except in July and August, when he speaks at his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, 25 miles from Rome.
After all of the groups are announced and the Pope has addressed each of them. We are led by the Pope to say the Our Father in Latin, then the Pope blesses all of the people present and their religious items they have brought. Yes, the picture above is me, with everything I brought to be blessed by the Pope. Do not worry, I know what you are thinking, but not all of these rosaries are mine. Two of the rosaries are owned by friends from church, a few are Mom's (Grandma's) and a few are my Dad's (Grandpa's) and okay, the rest are mine; do not judge me!
? Did you know that when Pope Benedict XVI was called to be the next Pope, Bishop of Rome, in 2005 that he became the 265th pope? At this time he introduced himself as "a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord." Also did you know that Benedict did not want to be pope? He felt that he was not worthy to be the next Chair of Peter, after much contemplation and prayer, he knew that the Trinity wanted this.
Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, was born in Bavaria, a small town in the year of 1927. He lived a life under Nazi rule and later on as a teenager he was drafted into the army. During World War II he saw Jews taken to death camps and soon left his post.
Following the war he finished studying Theology and became a voice of liberal Catholicism, serving as an adviser for the Second Vatican Counsel (1962-1965). Pope John Paul II appointed Ratzinger to many positions and he became Pope John Paul II's closest adviser.
Ratzinger chose the name of "Benedict" to recall both Pope Benedict XV, who tried very hard to bring Europeans together after World War I and the original St. Benedict (480-543) the monk who symbolizes Europe's Christian roots.
Ratzinger is also a very successful writer in his spare time. One of the best of his works I have read was Jesus of Nazareth From the Baptism in the Jordan to Transfiguration of which its sequel, Jesus of Nazareth Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection recently came out. This Jesus of Nazareth is a series Pope Benedict has been working on in his spare time. He makes the statement in the epilogue of the first book that he writes this as a scholarly Theologian, as Joseph Ratzinger, not Pope Benedict XVI. Another great read is, Light of the World: The Pope, The Church and The Signs Of The Times by Peter Seewald and Pope Benedict XVI. This is yet another wonderful read where a journalist and writer, Seewald asks Pope Benedict a series of questions, including gay marriage, married priests, the unfortunate priest scandals and other questions from these modern times that need to be addressed and understood. In this book, Pope Benedict XVI speaks with intent of being the leader of the Church. If you are looking for a book that is a little more down to earth, this would be the book for you. since it is not quite as hard as a read as the Jesus of Nazareth series.
Our last day in Roma is tomorrow. Till then!
Ciao,
KT
native languages, come up one by one presenting us, the crowd to the Pope. When our school, Ohio Dominican University, was called out we all went ballistic. We all jumped up and starting screaming and waving our arms, making ourselves known to Pope Benedict. Then we got the little wave and blessing from him! Other groups stood up and some even sang a song for him. When this happened the crowds went silent and the Pope listened intently and patiently until they were finished and then he waved at them. Pope Benedict made it a point to look and wave at every group that cheered. This was a long process because there were around 8 different languages to be addressed by an arch-bishop and then the Pope also addressed them in their spoken language. It was amazing to here him speak in so many different tongues, it really shows how educated he is, not that this was in question however. Just think he does this every week! Except in July and August, when he speaks at his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, 25 miles from Rome.
After all of the groups are announced and the Pope has addressed each of them. We are led by the Pope to say the Our Father in Latin, then the Pope blesses all of the people present and their religious items they have brought. Yes, the picture above is me, with everything I brought to be blessed by the Pope. Do not worry, I know what you are thinking, but not all of these rosaries are mine. Two of the rosaries are owned by friends from church, a few are Mom's (Grandma's) and a few are my Dad's (Grandpa's) and okay, the rest are mine; do not judge me!
? Did you know that when Pope Benedict XVI was called to be the next Pope, Bishop of Rome, in 2005 that he became the 265th pope? At this time he introduced himself as "a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord." Also did you know that Benedict did not want to be pope? He felt that he was not worthy to be the next Chair of Peter, after much contemplation and prayer, he knew that the Trinity wanted this.
Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, was born in Bavaria, a small town in the year of 1927. He lived a life under Nazi rule and later on as a teenager he was drafted into the army. During World War II he saw Jews taken to death camps and soon left his post.
Following the war he finished studying Theology and became a voice of liberal Catholicism, serving as an adviser for the Second Vatican Counsel (1962-1965). Pope John Paul II appointed Ratzinger to many positions and he became Pope John Paul II's closest adviser.
Ratzinger chose the name of "Benedict" to recall both Pope Benedict XV, who tried very hard to bring Europeans together after World War I and the original St. Benedict (480-543) the monk who symbolizes Europe's Christian roots.
Ratzinger is also a very successful writer in his spare time. One of the best of his works I have read was Jesus of Nazareth From the Baptism in the Jordan to Transfiguration of which its sequel, Jesus of Nazareth Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection recently came out. This Jesus of Nazareth is a series Pope Benedict has been working on in his spare time. He makes the statement in the epilogue of the first book that he writes this as a scholarly Theologian, as Joseph Ratzinger, not Pope Benedict XVI. Another great read is, Light of the World: The Pope, The Church and The Signs Of The Times by Peter Seewald and Pope Benedict XVI. This is yet another wonderful read where a journalist and writer, Seewald asks Pope Benedict a series of questions, including gay marriage, married priests, the unfortunate priest scandals and other questions from these modern times that need to be addressed and understood. In this book, Pope Benedict XVI speaks with intent of being the leader of the Church. If you are looking for a book that is a little more down to earth, this would be the book for you. since it is not quite as hard as a read as the Jesus of Nazareth series.
Our last day in Roma is tomorrow. Till then!
Ciao,
KT
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