Pope Benedict XVI celebrates the feast of the Assumption at Castel Gandolfo
(15 Aug. 06) : Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the feast of the Assumption on Tuesday August 15th, in a small parish church of St.Tomas at Castel Gandolfo, his summer residence. Reflecting on the theme of Peace in his homily, the Pontiff encouraged the faithful on this festivity of the Assumption, to pray to Mother Mary for the end of violence and war in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world. “Let us pray to the Queen of peace for a lasting peace today because at the end only love will win and not hatred, at the end it will be a victory of peace,” the Pope said.
Taking a cue from the reading from the book of the Apocalypse, Pope Benedict said, “Even if the Dragon appears very strong, even if he incarnates all the powers of violence of the world that seem invincible, the woman’s child is taken straight up to God and to his throne and the woman escaped in to a place of safety prepared by God. Pope Benedict then compared the drama of suffering people from the violence in the Middle-East and prayed that the respective governments engaged in war do not forget that God has raised the humble ones and turned upside down great empires, for God has plans of peace and not of misfortune, the Pontiff said.
At attendance for the Holy Eucharist were local government authorities and also Pope’s brother Msgr. Georg who arrived from Ratisbona, Germany, in order to spend a few days with the brother-Pope at Castel Gandolfo. On Wednesday, August 16, the Holy Father will hold his regular weekly public audience at Castel Gandolfo and not at the Vatican.
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