This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/24/benedict-xvi-flock-humble-pope
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Benedict XVI: faithful flock to pay homage to the 'humble' pope | Benedict XVI: faithful flock to pay homage to the 'humble' pope |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| When Benedict XVI switched from Italian to French for his final Sunday blessing, Agnès Cantale and her friends shrieked with delight. They had travelled nine hours in a coach from Geneva to join tens of thousands of believers in bidding farewell to the pope they had grown up with. Now, singing and waving Swiss flags emblazoned with the word "merci", they showed no signs of flagging. | When Benedict XVI switched from Italian to French for his final Sunday blessing, Agnès Cantale and her friends shrieked with delight. They had travelled nine hours in a coach from Geneva to join tens of thousands of believers in bidding farewell to the pope they had grown up with. Now, singing and waving Swiss flags emblazoned with the word "merci", they showed no signs of flagging. |
| "We are here to show our gratitude," said Cantale. "We're all in our early 20s so he was the pope of our adolescence and we are very attached to him." If she had been upset by his resignation, she was not showing it. "It's a great gesture of humility and courage," she said. "And that is coherent with who he is." | "We are here to show our gratitude," said Cantale. "We're all in our early 20s so he was the pope of our adolescence and we are very attached to him." If she had been upset by his resignation, she was not showing it. "It's a great gesture of humility and courage," she said. "And that is coherent with who he is." |
| When the soon to be former pontiff emerged at noon, frail and smiling, at his window overlooking St Peter's Square, the crowds erupted with applause and cheers. In the final angelus of his eight-year papacy, Benedict thanked his followers repeatedly – in Italian, certainly, but also in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Polish. He had been called, he said, to devote himself to yet more "prayer and meditation". "But this does not mean abandoning the church," he said. "Indeed, if God is asking me to do this, it is so I can continue to serve the church with the same dedication and the same love with which I have done thus far, but in a way that is better suited to my age and my strength." | When the soon to be former pontiff emerged at noon, frail and smiling, at his window overlooking St Peter's Square, the crowds erupted with applause and cheers. In the final angelus of his eight-year papacy, Benedict thanked his followers repeatedly – in Italian, certainly, but also in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Polish. He had been called, he said, to devote himself to yet more "prayer and meditation". "But this does not mean abandoning the church," he said. "Indeed, if God is asking me to do this, it is so I can continue to serve the church with the same dedication and the same love with which I have done thus far, but in a way that is better suited to my age and my strength." |
| Outside in the square all was celebration. As the pilgrims streamed down via della Conciliazione, the souvenir shops were doing a roaring trade in Benedict postcards, Benedict figurines and the odd papal pendant. But, as he disappeared into the quiet of his study, the 85-year-old German will have known that inside the Vatican the mood was rather different. With cardinals arriving in Rome from for one of the most unexpected and unusual conclaves in history, the Roman Catholic church has once again found itself the focus of controversy and conspiracy. | Outside in the square all was celebration. As the pilgrims streamed down via della Conciliazione, the souvenir shops were doing a roaring trade in Benedict postcards, Benedict figurines and the odd papal pendant. But, as he disappeared into the quiet of his study, the 85-year-old German will have known that inside the Vatican the mood was rather different. With cardinals arriving in Rome from for one of the most unexpected and unusual conclaves in history, the Roman Catholic church has once again found itself the focus of controversy and conspiracy. |
| On Sunday, the Vatican spokesman confirmed the pope had received a report concerning allegations relating to inappropriate behaviour 30 years ago by the head of the church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien. | On Sunday, the Vatican spokesman confirmed the pope had received a report concerning allegations relating to inappropriate behaviour 30 years ago by the head of the church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien. |
| Just a day before, the same spokesman had launched an angry tirade at the media for printing "gossip, misinformation and sometimes slander" concerning Benedict's resignation and the selection of his successor. | Just a day before, the same spokesman had launched an angry tirade at the media for printing "gossip, misinformation and sometimes slander" concerning Benedict's resignation and the selection of his successor. |
| Controversy continues, meanwhile, to surround the role in conclave of several cardinals, most notably Roger Mahony, archbishop emeritus of Los Angeles, who is under fire from thousands of Catholics in the United States and Italy for apparently having shielded priests accused of sex abuse. He claims he has been scapegoated. But the grassroots fury shows no sign of ebbing away and the peaceful papal transition the Vatican wants seems unlikely. | Controversy continues, meanwhile, to surround the role in conclave of several cardinals, most notably Roger Mahony, archbishop emeritus of Los Angeles, who is under fire from thousands of Catholics in the United States and Italy for apparently having shielded priests accused of sex abuse. He claims he has been scapegoated. But the grassroots fury shows no sign of ebbing away and the peaceful papal transition the Vatican wants seems unlikely. |
| For the estimated 100,000 worshippers and tourists who turned out on Sunday, however, controversy was not the order of the day. With his abdication scheduled to take effect from 8pm on Thursday, this was one of Benedict's last appearances in public as infallible head of the Catholic church. Nuns from the Philippines had held a prayer vigil since dawn, and others from Latin America had crafted a banner reading "thank you", covered with cutouts of the Holy Father's face. Young people lay in sleeping bags in St Peter's Square. | For the estimated 100,000 worshippers and tourists who turned out on Sunday, however, controversy was not the order of the day. With his abdication scheduled to take effect from 8pm on Thursday, this was one of Benedict's last appearances in public as infallible head of the Catholic church. Nuns from the Philippines had held a prayer vigil since dawn, and others from Latin America had crafted a banner reading "thank you", covered with cutouts of the Holy Father's face. Young people lay in sleeping bags in St Peter's Square. |
| Angelica Gerber, from Berlin, had come to Rome especially for this "important point for the church". "I became Catholic because of him, and now I want to say goodbye to him," she said. When she heard of his resignation – the first papal abdication in nearly 600 years – she was "very affected and sad", she said. "But now I think it's a very strong step and a humble step." | Angelica Gerber, from Berlin, had come to Rome especially for this "important point for the church". "I became Catholic because of him, and now I want to say goodbye to him," she said. When she heard of his resignation – the first papal abdication in nearly 600 years – she was "very affected and sad", she said. "But now I think it's a very strong step and a humble step." |
| Genesis Mendoza, a 21-year-old from New Jersey, agreed. "It took me by surprise … but at the same time it takes a lot of courage, and I respect that," she said. Clearly emotional, Mendoza said she considered herself lucky to have come to Italy for the first time during such an historic period for the church. "I'm really honoured and proud and blessed to be here," she said. "It means so much to me; I'm kind of tearing up." | Genesis Mendoza, a 21-year-old from New Jersey, agreed. "It took me by surprise … but at the same time it takes a lot of courage, and I respect that," she said. Clearly emotional, Mendoza said she considered herself lucky to have come to Italy for the first time during such an historic period for the church. "I'm really honoured and proud and blessed to be here," she said. "It means so much to me; I'm kind of tearing up." |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |