[Pyro7480]

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he arrives to lead his general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican May 6, 2009.

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he arrives to lead his general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican May 6, 2009....

Pope Benedict XVI walks down some steps during his weekly general audience, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 6, 2009. Benedict XVI has said he will be making a pilgrimage to the Middle East this week as a 'pilgrim of peace.'' The pontiff leaves Friday for a week-long trip to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Benedict XVI kisses a baby as he leaves at the end of his general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican May 6, 2009.

French nuns wave their country's flags as Pope Benedict XVI leads his general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican May 6, 2009....

[Pyro7480]

Catholic ping!

[Pyro7480]

Ping!

[Martin Tell]

This is interesting.

Benedict has made many gestures of outreach to the Orthodox.

His recent book had a good discussion about icons, even though he did not, in my opinion, totally grasp Orthodox theology.

Still, I give him points for trying.

[markomalley]

For some more information, see this thread, posted earlier today, Pope Benedict explains veneration of images before heading to Holy Land (CATHOLIC/ORTHODOX CAUCUS).

[Coleus]

thanks for the ping, I just want to let you know that ELS has been doing the General Audience thread and ping since November, 2005.

[Salvation]

On St. John Damascene

On St. John Damascene (Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 6 May 2009)
St. John of Damascus’s Critique of Islam
Orthodox Feast of +John the Righteous of Damascus, Dec. 4
Saint John Damascene[AKA John of Damascus]
St. John of Damascus

[annalex]