Vatican City, 23 March 2013 (VIS) – Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., director of the Holy See Press Office, called this afternoon's encounter between Pope Francis and the Bishop emeritus of Rome Benedict XVI “a moment of profound communion”. Although live coverage of the historic event was not provided, recorded images of the two praying together and sitting in the library of the Castel Gandolfo Apostolic Palace has been made available. Following are the notes Fr. Lombardi made of the historic event.
The
Holy Father's helicopter landed at the heliport of Castel Gandolfo at
12:15pm and the Pope emeritus' car approached the landing site.
Accompanying the Holy Father were: Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu,
substitute of the Secretariat of State; Msgr. Leonardo Sapienza,
S.C.I., regent of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household; and
Msgr. Alfred Xuereb.
As
soon as the Holy Father alighted, the Pope emeritus approached him
and the two embraced. After briefly greeting the others
present—Bishop Marcello Semeraro of Albano, Italy, and Dr. Saverio
Petrillo, director of the Pontifical Villas—they got into the car
to take them to the Apostolic Palace. Pope Francis took the
right-hand seat, traditionally reserved for the Pope, while the Pope
emeritus took the left-hand seat. Aboard the same car was also
Archbishop Georg Ganswein, prefect of the Prefecture of the
Pontifical Household.
The
car then brought them to the elevators of the Apostolic Palace and
the two protagonists of the historic meeting ascended to the papal
apartments where they went straight to the chapel for a moment of
prayer. In the chapel, the Pope emeritus offered the place of honour
to Pope Francis, who instead responded “We are brothers” and
wanted them to share the same kneeler.
After
a short time of prayer they went to the apartments' library where
their private meeting began around 12:30pm. It is the library where
the Pope normally receives important guests at Castel Gandolfo. Their
meeting lasted around 45 minutes. Pope Francis had brought a
beautiful icon as a gift to the Pope emeritus.
Regarding
clothing, as previously noted, the Pope emeritus wears a simple white
cassock without the fascia (sash) or shoulder cape, the two details
that distinguish it from Pope Francis' clothing. The only
private and confidential portion of the meeting was when the two met in the
library, as the secretaries, Archbishop Gänswein and Msgr. Xuereb,
were expected to attend the lunch afterward. The Pope emeritus plans to drive
with the Pope to Castel Gandolfo's heliport before they take their
leave of one another.
It
should be noted that, although this is the first time they meet
face-to-face, Pope Francis has already called the Pope emeritus to
mind many times: at his first appearance at the external Loggia of
the Hall of Blessings of the Vatican Basilica on the evening of his
election and with two phone calls—the first that same night and the
second on the Feast of St. Joseph, to send his well wishes on the
Pope emeritus' saint's day. Their dialogue, therefore, had already
begun before this physical meeting. Recall also that the Pope
emeritus had already expressed his unconditional reverence and
obedience to his successor at his final meeting with the cardinals on
the last day of his pontificate, 28 February. This encounter, then—a
moment of elevated and deep communion—was a chance to renew his
profession of reverence and obedience. Certainly Pope Francis renewed
his gratitude, and that of the whole Church, for Pope Benedict's
ministry during his pontificate.