Pope at Castelgandolfo
(July 30,2009):- Pope Benedict XVI is at his summer residence in Castelgandolfo, some 30 kms south of Rome. He arrived there Wed. evening after his July 13-29 vacation in the Italian Alps.
Prior to leaving Les Combes in Valle D’Aosta , the Pope thanked the Vatican and Italian police, who watched over him while he was on vacation in the Italian Alps, saying they were like "guardian angels, discreet and efficient." He added humorously that he was not quite sure what his own guardian angel was up to. "Unfortunately, my guardian angel -- certainly following orders from above -- did not prevent my accident," he said, referring to the fact that he tripped in the dark July 17 and broke his wrist. Still referring to his broken right wrist, the Pope told them, "Perhaps the Lord wanted to teach me greater patience and humility, and give me more time for prayer and meditation."
The Pope will work from Castelgandolfo, until the beginning of October, resuming his traditional Wednesday general audiences, the first of which will be on 5th August. Vatican’s newspaper L’Osservatore reported on some of the events on the Pope’s schedule. On Saturday 1st August, the Pope will be visited by athletes, who are participating these days in Rome, in the FINA world championship of swimming. On Sunday, he will attend a concert traditionally held in the patio of the residence. The Pope has only two trips planned for these weeks – one to the Italian city of Viterbo and another to the Czek Republic.
According to the Director of the Pontifical Residence, Saverio Petrillo, the rest of the Holy Father’s summer will be divided into two phases. The first period will be a time of rest, punctuated by prayer and walks; and then a time to take up again his customary working schedule with official visits and audiences..
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