Leaving the Vatican Apostolic Palace for the last time
Mons. Gaenswein's emotions may have best approached our own at this poignant end to the pontificate of Benedict XVI. {And yet, he will continue to be the closest person to our Papa Bene - and long may he continue to care for him so lovingly.}
Many italian newspapers took the time to capture these images from the brief video that showed Benedict XVI getting out of the elevator from the papal apartment to the nattow hallway that leads to the San Damaso entrance of the Apostolic Palace yesterday afternoon. This series came from Corriere della Sera which entitled it 'Padre Georg si e commosso' (Padre Georg is moved to tears)...
Mons. Georg
is moved to tears
At Castel Gandolfo
His last event as Pope
His last words to the faithful
as the Successor of Peter
Thank you. Thank you all.
Dear f riends, I am happy to be with you, surrounded by the beauty of Creation and your kindness, which does me so much good. Thank you for your friendship and your affection.
You know that this day is different for me from the preceding ones. I am no longer the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, or I will be until 8:00 this evening and then no longer. I am simply a pilgrim beginning the last leg of his pilgrimage on this earth.
But I would still... thank you... I would still — with my heart, with my love, with my prayers, with my reflection, and with all my inner strength — would like to work for the common good and the good of the Church and of humanity. I feel greatly supported by your kindness.
Let us go forward with the Lord for the good of the Church and the world. Thank you. I now wholeheartedly impart my blessing.
May Almighty God bless us, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Good night! Thank you all!
Our last glimpse of him, till who knows when?
At 8:00 PM, the bells ring the hour, the Swiss Guard lay down their arms and go off duty, and the doors of Castel Gandolfo are closed. The Pontificate of Benedict XVI is over after seven years, ten months, nine days, and two hours...
Formalities at the Vatican
Cardinal Bertone, as Papal Chamberlain (Camerlengo), convenes his Apostolic Commission for the first time and proceeds to lock and seal the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace.
LIGHTS OUT
The See of Peter is vacant
A brief but moving video from RAI sums up the poignancy of the last day:
www.rainews24.rai.it/it/video.php?id=32725
On his last day as Pope,
Benedict’s character shone through
by EDWARD PENTIN
VATICAN CITY, March 1, 2013 — Benedict XVI’s final moments as Pope yesterday were in keeping with his simple, understated character.
There was no drama, no long speeches or self-indulgence — simply an acceptance of a reality and a prevailing sense of trust that Christ is at the heart of the Church, sentiments Benedict expressed to cardinals earlier in the day.
As dusk fell at the end of a second day of unseasonably beautiful weather in Rome, a medium-sized crowd had gathered in St. Peter’s Square to follow the Pope’s departure on large video monitors. Almost no voices could be heard, and, apart from the whirring of a police helicopter overhead, the square was unusually silent, even somber.
But shortly before 5pm, cheers erupted as the screens on the square began showing the Pope walking slowly through the corridors of the Apostolic Palace with the aid of a cane. He was accompanied by his closest aides.
On emerging into the San Damaso courtyard, he greeted staff from the Secretariat of State, saying farewell to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, and a number of other senior officials.
The bells of St. Peter’s Basilica and other churches began to peal as the Holy Father was driven the short distance to the Vatican helipad, where he said a final farewell to Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, president emeritus of the governorate of the Vatican city state, and heads of the Vatican police. One more final wave, and the Pope boarded the Italian military helicopter for the 15-minute flight to Castel Gandolfo.
[Was I imagining it or did those Roman bells peal for at least 15 minutes, during the entire length of the helicopter flight to Castel Gandolfo? Bells speak - they either peal for joy or toll for grief. I heard them yesterday as a celebration of this exceptional man, a living saint and future Doctor of the Church, and his brief but great Pontificate. I think they pealedlonger yesterday than they did when he was elected Pope.]
Accompanying Benedict on his final journey as Pope were his personal secretaries Archbishop Georg Gänswein and Msgr. Alfred Xuereb; along with Msgr. Leonardo Sapienza, the deputy prefect of the papal household; Dr. Patrizio Polisca, the pope’s personal physician; and Sandro Mariotti, Benedict’s butler.
[VALET! Will you guys never learn???]
As the chopper gently lifted off, it then quickly gained altitude and took a circuitous route around Rome to give as many people as possible a chance to say their own farewells. As it flew over St. Peter’s Square, several thousand well-wishers cheered and waved one last time.
Among those present in the square was Cardinal Seán O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston.
“It’s very moving to see how much this man is loved and will be missed,” he said. “It’s a beautiful gesture these people have shown to come here and personally bid him farewell.”
Followed by a second helicopter, operated by a Vatican television crew, everyone, including those in the square watching on large screens, was able to follow the Pope’s entire journey as it flew low into the hazy, yellow-ochre sunset, over the Colosseum and the many other ancient landmarks of Rome.
Many praised the footage of the event, managed by the new director of Vatican television, filmmaker Msgr. Edoardo Vigano. The coverage was “tremendous,” Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi, said today, “because they involved us and the whole world in the beautiful story that unfolded yesterday. … We’re very grateful to them for what they did.”
On arrival in Castel Gandolfo, the Pope was driven the short distance from the helipad to the Apostolic Palace, where a crowd of 7,000 people were waiting to greet him. Minutes later, he appeared on the balcony and thanked the throng.
“I am happy to be with you, surrounded by the beauty of creation and your sympathy that does so much good for me. Thank you for your friendship and love,” the Pope said at around 5:30pm from the balcony of his villa.
“You know that today is different than previous ones. I’m no longer the pope. Until 8pm I am, but then, afterwards, I am no longer Pope of the Catholic Church,” he said.
Benedict then offered a window into how he sees this stage of his life.
“I’m simply a pilgrim who is starting the last stage of his pilgrimage on earth,” he remarked, “but I would still like with my heart, with my love, with my prayer, with my reflection, with all my inner strength to work for the common good of the Church and of humanity, and I feel very supported by your sympathy."
“Let’s go ahead together with the Lord for the good of the Church and of the world,” he said as he finished his brief greeting.
Pope Benedict XVI then gave his last papal blessing to the crowd.
“Thank you. And now I impart to you the Lord’s blessing with my whole heart. May God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thank you and good night. Thanks to all of you.”
The last tweets.
Michael Severance, a resident who watched the events unfold, said the mood in the Bernini-designed town square of the papal summer residence “was anything but sullen.”
“The vibe was actually electric: A few thousand of us rushed over from the nearby town of Albano after 5pm and chanted in rhythm Be-ne-det-to! one last time as the helicopter swirled above our heads,” he recalled. “Other locals sounded loud musical instruments, waved flags and hoisted banners of affection. And we all brought rosaries and other religious objects for one last blessing.”
“It was an arrivederci fit for a king,” he said.
At 8pm Rome time, a loud bell then rang eight times. The crowd shouted Viva il Papa! (“Long live the Pope!”). The Swiss Guards entered Castel Gandolfo and hung up their ceremonial halberds on the inner walls, as there is no longer a sitting pope for them to protect.
They then closed the two large doors and bolted them shut, symbolizing the definitive end of Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate.
The Swiss Guards departed, and three Vatican gendarmes dressed in black uniforms marched to the inside of the gates, stood guard and saluted.
Witnessing such an historic and momentous moment will be unforgettable for many of those present.
“Even the small children, including three of my own, were aware of the historic moment,” said Severance, who works at the Acton Institute in Rome. “Many of our families would see him several times from July to October in the intimacy of his courtyard on Sundays and have their bambini blessed by Benedict.”
“We will all dearly miss him as our summer neighbor for the last eight years,” he added. “This was the only pain we felt, while happy and confident in his decision to retire to prayer and study.”
Reflecting on how he thought Benedict XVI will be remembered, Cardinal O’Malley told the
Register, “As Benedict the teacher, the man who was able to break open the word of God for all of us in such a wonderful way and touch our hearts with the message of the Gospel.”
