A large number of faithful lined up in St. Peter’s Square to greet Benedict XVI, lay people and religious testified to their love for the Pope, who marked their lives and the history of the Church.
(Vatican News Network)Early in the morning of January 2, before dawn, many faithful arrived in St. Peter’s Square, awaiting the opening of St. Peter’s Basilica to the public at 9:00 to greet Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Laity, religious and many young people from all over the world look to Pope Benedict XVI as a father and guide. Many families also attended the square. At 5:30 in the morning there were already people in line for the security check, and among the larger crowd there was also a group of Indian theology students who called Benedict XVI a “lighthouse”.
A Roman faithful explained to this news site: “Benedict XVI is our teacher and our pastor, so it is natural to thank him and greet him.” “Benedict XVI taught us how to believe in God and what God’s love is for his children,” said a woman from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many people in St. Peter’s Square recalled Benedict XVI’s role as a scholar and theologian. Father Andrew, parish priest of Rome, explained: “Benedict XVI is a father. To say he is wise and cultured is too simplistic. He is a man of God, and he truly taught us to think in a Christian way. He is a wise man of God and the people can only come and greet him”.
The life paths of many are intertwined with that of the Pope Emeritus. Angelo said moved: “Benedict XVI is an important person for me”. Sister Maria Caritas, who came to Rome from Nebraska, said that the name she chose for her initiation was inspired by Benedict XVI’s encyclical Deus caritas est.
“I was a seminarian when Benedict XVI was elected pope, so I still remember him very well. He gave me the feeling of a father, a great educator with infinite sweetness. Family”. “We have come here because Benedict XVI is part of our family. I met him in the United States, in Brazil and then in Rome. His simplicity had a big impact on my vocation,” explained a Brazilian missionary who lives in Palermo in southern Italy.
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