HALF A MILLION PEOPLE ATTEND INAUGURAL MASS

VATICAN CITY, APR 24, 2005 (VIS) - In St Peter's Square at 10 a.m. today, fifth Sunday of Easter, in the presence of a police estimate of half a million people, Pope Benedict XVI presided at the Eucharistic celebration for the official inauguration of his Petrine ministry. One hundred and fifty cardinals concelebrated. Among the bishops, priests and religious present was the Pope's brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger.

  Many of the people who filled Via della Conciliazione, adjacent streets and other areas of Rome were able to follow the ceremony on giant screens.

  There were 141 delegations representing heads of State and government in attendance at the celebration. There were also various religious delegations comprising a total of 70 people, including representatives from Orthodox Churches, Eastern Orthodox Churches (the ancient Churches of the East), Churches and Christian communities of the West, and international Christian organizations.

  Before the start of his first papal Eucharistic liturgy, Benedict XVI descended to the tomb of St. Peter, below the papal altar or Altar of the "Confessio," with the patriarchs of the Oriental Churches and remained in prayer for a brief period. He then incensed the tomb, during which time two deacons took a coffer containing the pastoral pallium and, with the Ring of the Fisherman and the Book of Gospels, processed outside the basilica to place them on the altar.

  Pope Benedict XVI returned to the basilica and joined the procession of all the cardinal concelebrants. 

  At the end of the Liturgy of the Word and the proclamation of the Gospel in both Latin and Greek, the two deacons who read the Gospel, preceded by the thurible and accompanied by acolytes, returned to the lectern. Behind the altar, the two deacons who carried the pallium and the Ring of the Fisherman, took them from the altar and went to the chair of the Holy Father where they were joined by Cardinals Angelo Sodano, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan and Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez. Cardinal Medina Estevez, the cardinal proto-deacon, then placed the Petrine pallium on the shoulders of Benedict XVI.

  The pallium is a very ancient episcopal symbol made of lamb's wool which indicates the authority of a bishop and his link with the See of Peter. The Petrine pallium is white and a mix of lamb's wool and sheep wool and is embroidered with five red crosses. It symbolizes both the Good Shepherd who places on His shoulders the lost sheep and the triple answer, "you know I love you," made by Peter to the Risen Jesus Who asked him to feed his lambs and his sheep.

  Cardinal Angel Sodano, the dean of the College of Cardinals, then placed the Ring of the Fisherman on the Holy Father's right hand. The ring given to Benedict XVI today has the image-seal of St. Peter and the boat with the net and symbolizes the ring-seal that authenticates the faith and marks the duty entrusted to Peter to confirm his brothers. This is also called the Ring of the Fishermen because Peter was the fisherman Apostle who, having believed the word of Jesus, cast his net out from the boat for a miraculous catch of fish.

  After the Pope blessed the faithful, he returned to his seat where 12 people swore obedience: the three cardinals, a bishop, a priest, a deacon, a male and female religious, a married couple and two young people recently confirmed.

  Following this the Holy Father read his homily in Italian.
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