Pope to deliver first Sunday Blessing

[Veritas]

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI plans to give his first Sunday noontime blessing from the papal apartment overlooking St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican said, greeting the faithful from the same third-floor window where Pope John Paul II welcomed pilgrims for nearly 27 years.

Benedict was moving into the apartment on Saturday, formally taking possession of the official papal residence that was sealed after John Paul died April 2, Vatican Radio said.

Benedict broke the seal - a red ribbon tied around the doorknob - on April 20, the day after he was elected. But he chose to remain at the Vatican hotel where he was sequestered during the conclave before moving in on Saturday.

On Sunday, he plans to give a noontime blessing to the faithful from the apartment window, greeting pilgrims from the spot where John Paul appeared for the last time in public on March 30.​

apnews.myway.com/article/20050430/D89PVGTO0.html

 

[mmd]

http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/VATICAN_POPE.sff_ROM112_20050501094246.jpg

Pope Benedict XVI greets the faithful during the first appearance of his papacy at the window of his apartment overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, for the Sunday Angelus prayer, Sunday May 1, 2005. In his address, the pontiff told tens of thousands of faithful and curious he was keeping up the cherished tradition of his beloved predecessor, John Paul II, who had last appeared to crowds in St. Peter’s Square in silent suffering. With some 50,000 people gathered in the square below, Benedict stood at the window of the papal apartment, which he moved into on Saturday, blessed the crowd, wished Orthodox Christians a happy Easter and said he hoped efforts toward Christian unity would continue.(AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)

 

[Bootoo]

My thoughts on seeing this picture on the news this morning: For a long time now, most of the news about Pope John Paul II was so very sad, and seeing him as ill as he was was so very sad. Now, seeing all of these very joyful pictures of Pope Benedict XVI, with his arms raised and a smile on his face, is a delight, and a gift. I had forgotten how much I missed seeing pictures of our Pope that would make me smile with joy!