The Pope returns from Castel Gandolfo
(April 14.2012) Pope Benedict XVI returned by helicopter to the Vatican from the
papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome, Friday afternoon. Waiting
to greet him in Rome was also his brother Mgr Georg Ratzinger, who had come to celebrate
the Pope’s 85th birthday. The Pope had gone Easter Sunday afternoon to
Castel Gandolfo, for a brief rest after his strenuous Holy Week and Easter ceremonies.
On Wednesday he had returned briefly to Rome for the General Audience. Another eventful
week lies ahead for the Pope. On Sunday he’ll recite the “Regina Coeli” midday prayer
at St Peter’s square. Then he has to direct his attention to the thousands of greetings
from all over the world flooding his mailbox, on the occasion of his 85th
birthday on Monday 16th . That day he will celebrate a private Mass in
the Pauline chapel for his Bavarian guests and with some German bishops. At 12 he’ll
receive a delegation from Bavaria in a public audience in Vatican’s Clementine Hall.
Thursday 19th marks the 7th anniversary of his election to the
Papacy. The Pope will be treated to a concert Friday 20th by the Leipzig
Gewandhaus Orchestra, one of the oldest symphony orchestras in the world named
after the Concert Hall where it is based, namely Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Germany.
They will perform Mendelssohn’s Symphony n. 2, opus 52 “Lobgesang” song of praise.
| All the contents on this site are copyrighted ©. |