Day 16 in Les Combes:
Eve of departure
Translated from
the Italian service of
July 28, 2009
Benedict XVI by now is having his last night's sleep in Les Combes before he leaves tomorrow afternoon for Rome and Castel Gandolfo.
[I hope they have since provided his bedroom and bathroom with a night light or replaced the light frame switches with something phosphorescent. Can't risk him taking another stumble!]
Alessandro Di Carolis spoke to Fr. Federico Lombardi today:
FR. LOMBARDI: The Holy Father spent a day in great tranquillity, carrying on his usual reading, reflection, prayers, his walk after lunch and in the early evening.
Tomorrow, he will greet all the persons - and there are not a few - who have worked together to insure his safe and peaceful stay here at Les Combes.
Last night, there was the traditional dinner at the Salesian colony to thank them, with the attendance of the civil and military authorities of the region, the province and the municipality of Introd, as well as the medical personnel from the Parini Hospital in Aosta.
Mons. Gaenswein conveyed to them the Holy Father's greetings, who said he looked forward to thanking them personally tomorrow.
It may not look like it but even a papal vacation still requires a lot of logistical and security organization, and everyone involved carries out his task willingly and even gladly, even if the work is complex.
Over the years, an atmosphere of great cordiality and collaboration has developed among the Vatican security personnel responsible for close-in protection of the Pope, the personnel of the Salesian colony, the local forces of law and order, and the local authorities most directly concerned with the Pope when he is here.
That was evident last night in the remarks made by the president of the region, Augusto Rollandin; the president of the Regional Council, Albert Cerise, and the mayor of Introd, Osvaldo Naudin, whom the Pope greeted two weeks ago as 'the eternal mayor' since has has been mayor for the past 30 years.
In this regard, the municipal council of Introd formally announced yesterday that they wish to confer honorary citizenship on the Holy Father...
Yes they did. Now, the Pope must give his formal and explicit acceptance, after which, some time in the next few months, a delegation from Introd will come to Rome to officially confer the honor. That has been the SOP with the German towns and cities who made the Pope an honorary citizen.
[But in Bressanone last year, the conferment was done just before the Pope left at the end of his vacation there.]
Of course, the Pope is happy to accept these honors because they represent to him the warmth and affection of the communities concerned.
There's a fairly long anticipatory article on preparations at Castel Gandolfo for the Pope's stay in tomorrow's issue of L'Osservatore Romano, along with his public program for the next few days, but for now I will post the CNS blog based on it:
Pope’s piano tuned,
even if he can’t play for now
Posted on July 28, 2009
by Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY — The director of the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo told the Vatican newspaper that preparations are almost complete for the pope’s expected arrival tomorrow evening: bushes have been re-potted, trees have been trimmed, flowers have been planted, walls have been painted and — he said — a piano tuner has come and gone.
Severio Petrillo, director of the villa — which includes the papal residence as well as gardens and a working farm — said he knows the pope has to wear a cast for another 20 days or so.
But the Pope’s brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger, is arriving, too, [on Saturday]. And he’s a musician. For years, he was the director of the famous Regensburg Boys’ Choir. And, besides, Petrillo said, piano playing could be part of the physical therapy the Pope will do once the cast is off [after August 15].
Petrillo also said that the Pope will meet swimmers, divers, water polo players and other athletes participating in the July 17-Aug. 2 FINA World Championship in Rome.
He will lead the Sunday noon Angelus from the inner courtyard of the Appostolic Palace, as usual.
[Wooden omits the information that on Sunday afternoon, a German orchestra (not yet identified) will present a concert in the inner courtyard of the Apostolic Palace for the Holy Father and his brother.]
The Pope’s weekly general audience Aug. 5 also will be held at the papal villa, rather than at the Vatican, he said.
[Further general audiences during the summer will be held at Castel Gandolfo or at the Vatican depending on the number of requests for tickets.]
I am curious why CNS chose to run this item as a blog and not as regular news!
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 29/07/2009 08:24]