Pope Benedict XVI inaugurated
2005-04-24 09:57
Vatican City - Tens of thousands of pilgrims joined religious and world leaders for Pope Benedict XVI's formal installation on Sunday, a tradition-steeped ceremony that officially launches the pontificate of the 265th leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Wearing golden vestments and clutching his pastoral staff, Benedict began the ceremony by processing into the area under St Peter's Basilica where St Peter is believed to be buried, paying homage to the first pope and blessing the tomb with incense as a choir chanted.
Priests bearing Benedict's Fisherman's Ring and the woolen shawl that he will wear - both symbols of his papal authority - led a procession of cardinals out of the basilica and onto the steps leading to the square, where tens of thousands of people gathered under a brilliant spring sun for the two-hour Mass.
Inaugural mass
Tens of thousands of pilgrims flocked to the Vatican early on Sunday for the inaugural mass.
"Lieber Papst, wir Kinder lieben Dich" (Dear pope, we children love you) read one of the thousands of banners displayed by pilgrims, this one prepared by Italian primary school students in the new pope's native tongue.
It will be Pope Benedict's first public mass since being elected by his fellow cardinals in a secret conclave last Tuesday. He was expected to set out his vision for the future of the Catholic Church in his homily, which will be watched keenly by many of the Church's one billion faithful.
With many world leaders attending the mass, Italy has deployed an array of security measures including 10 000 security forces, and has closed airspace over Rome and the Vatican, protected by Hawk anti-missile systems and an AWACS surveillance plane.
Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia are among the invited guests, who will include President Horst Koehler and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder from the pope's native Germany, and Britain's Prince Philip.
'Moral voice'
US President George W Bush will be represented by his brother, Jeb Bush.
A convert to Catholicism, Jeb Bush said his brother's several meetings with John Paul II underscored the White House's recognition of "the importance of a moral voice in world affairs".
"I know that my brother looks forward to developing the same kind of relationship with Pope Benedict XVI, and in doing so, I think, advance the cause of social justice, freedom and democracy around the world," said Bush.
Among religious dignitaries will be Rowan Williams, spiritual head of the world's Anglican Communion, and leaders of the Orthodox Churches.
- AFP