Deutsche Welle, 23 March 2013
Pope Francis has travelled to Castel Gandolfo for a meeting with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The Vatican released few details about the unprecedented event, leading to speculation about what they would discuss.
Pope Francis has travelled to Castel Gandolfo for a meeting with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The Vatican released few details about the unprecedented event, leading to speculation about what they would discuss.
Pope
Emeritus Benedict XVI reportedly greeted the new head of the Roman Catholic
Church, Pope Francis, with a hug on the helipad at Castel Gandolfo, the
Vatican's summer residence. Benedict has been residing there since his
resignation in late February.
The visit
is unprecedented in recent Church history, as the last papal resignation
occurred over 600 years ago.
Vatican
spokesperson Reverend Federico Lombardi gave reporters an outline of the
itinerary and promised a statement following the meeting. He added that few
details would be released, once again raising speculation about what role
Benedict would play in this papacy.
Shortly
after arriving, Francis, 76, and Benedict, 85 - both clad in the traditional
white cassock - prayed together in the villa chapel.
Benedict
reportedly offered the kneeler to Francis, who insisted that they share it,
saying "We are brothers, we pray together."
The two
were scheduled to dine in the afternoon and presumably to discuss pressing
Church issues. According to the Vatican spokesperson, Francis would return to
the Vatican at an unspecified time on Saturday.
Pope
Francis, who was inaugurated earlier this week, took the helm of a Church in
crisis.
Issues currently plaguing its spiritual leaders include growing secularism and an urgent need to reform Vatican bureaucracy. The Vatican has also been trying to address an ongoing child abuse scandal, which has greatly damaged the trust of the Church among its 1.2 billion members.
Issues currently plaguing its spiritual leaders include growing secularism and an urgent need to reform Vatican bureaucracy. The Vatican has also been trying to address an ongoing child abuse scandal, which has greatly damaged the trust of the Church among its 1.2 billion members.
The last
pope announced his resignation in early February, citing weakening health and
age as contributing factors to his inability to continue leading the Church. He
has been living at Castelo Gandolfo since he stepped down and is set to return
to the Vatican in coming months, where he will live in a converted monastery
leading a life of prayer and contemplation.
Francis'
papacy has been historic for a number of reasons. Not only is the Argentinean
the first non-European pontiff, he was also the first to take the name Francis
after the 13th century saint who led a life of poverty, focused on nature and
peace.
kms/ (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)
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