Surprise! New Pope takes a walk through Rome

Catholic WEorld News ^ | April 20, 2005 | Catholic World News

[ELS]

Rome, Apr. 20 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI made his first public appearance on the streets of Rome on Wednesday afternoon, April 20, as he visited his old apartment near Vatican City to transfer some belongings to his new home in the apostolic palace.

The newly elected Pope, clothed completely in the distinctive white vestments of the papacy, caught onlookers by surprise when he chose to travel on foot, walking the few hundred yards to the apartment in the Citta Leonina where he had lived for years. When the news spread that the Pontiff was walking through the city, hundreds of people quickly gathered, and he spent some time in front of the apartment building, greeting the people and blessing young children. Italian police and Vatican security officials did their best to control the crowd, preserving some breathing room for the Pontiff.

After a short stay in his old apartment, the Pontiff reappeared, entering a black car that was waiting for him at the entrance of the building. He paused again to wave to the crowd, turning slowly from one direction to another so that he could greet as many as possible. The crowd burst into cheers of "Long live the Pope!" and the chant that has already become familiar: "Benedetto!" Pope Benedict later commented that he was "very moved" as he resumed direct contact with the faithful.

Pope Benedict had occupied the apartment in Citta Leonina until moving into the Vatican's St. Martha residence, along with all the other cardinal-electors, to begin the conclave on April 18.

Earlier in the day, the new Pope had taken possession of his new apartments in the apostolic palace. He was accompanied by Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo (bio - news), the camerlengo, who had sealed off those apartments after the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

[Miss Behave]

Yes yes YES on your tag, Campion!

[STARWISE]

Thank you, onyx!! A kind and simple man. God Bless Pope Benedict XVI -- long may he reign!

[STARWISE]

I don't like reading this ... please offer prayers of health for him:

Pope Predicted a Short Reign to Cardinals

By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Writer

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI predicted a "short reign" in comments to cardinals just after his election, and his brother said Wednesday he was worried about the stress the job would put on the 78-year-old pontiff.

Joseph Ratzinger has had ailments in the past, including a 1991 hemorrhagic stroke, that raise questions about how long his papacy will last — and whether the world will watch another pope slowly succumb to age and ailments on a very public stage. Benedict was the oldest pontiff elected in 275 years.

German prelates have expressed concern about Ratzinger's health. One young priest from Cologne, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press in Rome that Benedict has trouble sleeping and has a "delicate constitution." The pope's brother expressed a similar concern in a television interview.

The Vatican refused to comment Wednesday on Benedict's health, citing his privacy. The Vatican never officially confirmed Pope John Paul II suffered from Parkinson's disease until after he died at age 84.

Several cardinals, however, acknowledged that Benedict's term will be marked in years, not decades, and that he likely will not be the globe-trotting pope that John Paul became after taking the helm of the Roman Catholic Church at age 58.

"We'll see what he feels like. I mean he's not a 56-year-old, you know," said British Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor. "He's a little bit older than that. So he may not do too much traveling. But you never know."

Benedict himself referred to his tenure in comments to cardinals just after his election Tuesday, when he explained his choice of name. Pope Benedict XV, who served from 1914 to 1922, worked to prevent World War I during his brief pontificate.

Chicago Cardinal Francis George said Ratzinger, who had repeatedly asked John Paul to let him retire, told the cardinals, "I too hope in this short reign to be a man of peace."

While he has no apparent history of chronic health problems, the German was hospitalized at least twice in the early 1990s, including in September 1991 after he suffered a hemorrhagic stroke that temporarily affected his vision, according to Time magazine and Vatican journalist John Allen in his 2000 book "Cardinal Ratzinger." There is no indication the stroke left any lingering health difficulties.

A hemorrhagic stroke, otherwise known as a bleeding stroke, can be caused by many things, including high blood pressure, head injury or weak blood vessels. It is different from an ischemic stroke, which is caused by a blockage in the blood vessels in the brain.

In August 1992, during a vacation in the Italian Alps, Ratzinger was knocked unconscious when he fell against a radiator and bled profusely, Time and the Italian news agency ANSA reported at the time.

Time quoted him as saying a year later: "Thank God, there are hardly any traces of it now."

Benedict's brother, the Rev. Georg Ratzinger, told the AP on Wednesday from Regensburg, Germany, that he was concerned about his brother's health and the stress of the papacy.

"I'm not very happy," Georg Ratzinger said. "He's OK, and his health is good. I just wish for him, that his health holds out and that his office isn't a worry and a nuisance to him."

Polish Cardinal Jozef Glemp said Ratzinger's age came up during the deliberations only because the cardinal turned 78 during the pre-conclave meetings Saturday "and so there were well wishes. But nothing more."

"The pope seems to be in very good physical condition for his age," Glemp told the AP. But Ratzinger, the oldest pope elected since Clement XII in 1730, was clearly chosen as a transitional pope who would fulfill the unfinished business of John Paul's 26-year yet not be another long-term pontiff.

(snip)

"He seems healthy," said Frauenlob, who last saw him over the New Year's holiday. "He comes and eats and drinks whatever he wants."

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Look at that shy smile -- may the demonizers find a huge clot of ant poop lodged in a most irritating place... (and that's my gentle wish for them at this particular moment ;)

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[onyx]

He sure looks GOOD in white.

I saw that article posted here on a thread of its own.
Whoda thunk the media would commence with a death watch already? /sarcasm

[GipperGal]

We need to start a master list of nicknames. B16? Papa Joe? PapaRatzi?

I'm still trying to work out a chant for World Youth Day. Over at National Review's The Corner some reader suggested, "Benedict Sixteen, He Won't Ordain Irene!" --funny, but might be a little uncharitable to provoke the already unhinged looney lefty nuns (you know the type of nun I'm talking about. It's the-"I am a Marxist former Nun, this is my bible, this is my gun!"-kind).

Maybe we can just chant: "BEN-NE-DIC-TUS!" over and over. In short though, Big Ben just works for me -- maybe because my late mother (God Rest Her Soul) was practically a charter member of the Cardinal Ratzinger fan club. When I was growing up in the 80s, the only Cardinal I could name was "Joseph Ratzinger" because Mom was always saying, "Thank God, the pope put Ratzinger in charge of the new catechism!" or (in reference to some whacked-out thing the American Catholic Church was doing) "Wait till Ratzinger hears about this!" She made him sound like the Arnold Schwarzenegger action-hero of the Curia. In reality the man is this shy sweet soft-spoke monastic-like scholar from Bavaria. The contrast between the two is hilarious, which is why Big Ben -- sounding like a professional wrestling name -- is perfect!

How's this for a chant, "Benny Sixteen, you're not really mean!"

[Coleus]

I bet those in Rome couldn't believe their eyes. He's a regular guy who also likes to have a cold beer after work. Saw a pic of that in today's NY Post.

[Pyro7480]

What article was that with? I'd like to see that picture?

[fortunecookie]

I love that. What a treat for those who came out to wait out the conclave.

[Coleus]

It's in today's post, in the first few pages, there is about 4 pics of him on one page. He's holding a nice cold beer on one of them. I heard of the story on TV about him going to his favorite restaurant in Rome and having some German Beer.

[Gumdrop]

Jonah Goldberg's column today titled him B16!

[Trajan88]

I wonder if Warsteiner is one of Pope Benedict XVI favorites?

It is definately one of mine during my FREQUENT forays to the Bavarian Grill in Plano, Texas.

http://www.warsteiner.it/main.htm

Trajan88; TAMU Class of '88

[Old Professer]

Tempted to test JR's patience (skateboards and banana peels make for bad dreams)

[kayak]

May God bless Pope Benedict XVI!

[kassie]

Amen!

[IrishRainy]

I know what you mean...whenever I read a news release coming from the Vatican, I would scan it first to see if Ratzinger's name was there and what his opinion was. If HE liked it, I knew it MUST be good.

[TAdams8591]

Beautiful pics!!!

I love the new pope and God Bless him. Many prayers for his difficult task ahead!

[afraidfortherepublic]

Wow! I wish that I had been there to see this.

[GipperGal]

If HE liked it, I knew it MUST be good.

Exactly! My whole family does the same thing. He's to the Church what Rick Santorum is to the Senate (i.e. in the case of both men we find ourselves saying over and over, "Oh thank God he's there to offer some direction!"

[Arthur McGowan]

Don't these people even know enough to flee from the monster???

[AnAmericanMother]

Wow - I did not notice until I saw your tagline that John Paul the Great and my daughter share the same birthday!

Her patron is St. Martin of Tours. Maybe she'll add another Bishop soon . . . subito . . . ;-)