Pope encounters children during vacation stroll

(July 20, 2009) Pope Benedict is passing moments of quiet and relaxation in and around his mountain chalet of Les Comes in northern Italy where he is on vacation July 13 to 29. During a vacation stroll on Wednesday, the Holy Father came across five children, stopping to chat with them about his wrist injury, Vatican spokesman Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi recounted. The children were accompanied by two women. As could be seen in Vatican Television video, one of the women asked the Holy Father about his recovering wrist, which he fractured last week in a fall. "It needs time and patience," he replied. One of the children surprised the Pontiff, telling him that at his home, nearby Val di Rhemes, there was a 6-meter snowfall last winter. "I can't imagine 6 meters of snow," the Pope exclaimed. "That's higher than a house!" Father Lombardi said that on Thursday, the Holy Father took time from his rest to review the documents brought him by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. He said that a portable X-ray machine was brought to the Holy Father on Thursday from the Aosta hospital for a check-up of his right wrist, and his next exam would be on Saturday morning. Friday morning, the Pope was preparing for his homily at Friday evening’s vespers service in Aosta’s cathedral.