In a message to the 7th world congress on pastoral care of tourists, Pope Benedict has affirmed the value of tourism and supported the horizons it opens. Benedict said that admiring the beauty of other people, cultures and nature, can lead to God and be the occasion of an experience of faith. “Tourism, together with Read more
Pope Benedict XVI has personally written to the head of the German bishops’ conference to change the text of the Mass to say that Christ died “for many” rather than “for all”. The Pope said he was writing “to avoid a split” in the Church after Zollitsch told him during a March visit that “the Read more
‘Sobriety’ and ‘fervour’ when preparing children for First Communion: this was the pope’s advice in this Easter period when, he said, ‘the Church usually administers First Communion to children’. During the Regina Coeli prayer, Benedict XVI said: ‘I urge parish priests, parents and catechists to prepare well for this feast of the faith, with great Read more
During the pope’s Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square, a chocolate company in Northern Italy gave him a 551-pound chocolate egg. The massive, beautiful egg is hand-decorated and reaches more than seven feet high. The detailed egg not only includes various designs and small pink flowers, but also features the papal coat of arms.
The pope decided to donate the egg to the children living at a Rome detention center, Casal del Marmo Prison for Minors.
Read the article...Tim Tebow spoke before a crowd of about 15,000 during an Easter church service held outdoors Sunday in Georgetown, Texas, where he stressed that people should be outspoken about their faith.
Pastor Joe Champion interviewed Tebow for 20 minutes before his main sermon. Said Champion: “In Christianity, it’s the Pope and Tebow right now,” “We didn’t have enough room to handle the Pope.”
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Pope Benedict has announced that the collection money from Holy Thursday evening Mass in the basilica of St John Lateran will be used for humanitarian aid in support of Syrian refugees. The Maronite Archbishop of Damascus Samir Nassar, labelled the Pope’s action is “a very generous gesture”. “It is a gesture of closeness and solidarity that has Read more
MEXICO CITY – Pope Benedict XVI’s trip to Latin America takes him to the region’s most Catholic country…and its least. In Catholic Mexico, towns throw parties for their patron saints, pilgrims prostrate themselves at shrines and many people still cross themselves every time they pass a church. In Cuba, abortions are legal and many adults have been divorced Read more
A Mexican drug cartel is promising no violence during next weekend’s visit of Pope Benedict. At least 11 banners signed by The Knights Templar gang were found in five municipalities on Saturday morning and carried messages about a truce during the Pope’s visit. Mexico’s Reforma newspaper reports the banner read,”The Knights Templar disavow any military Read more
Ahead of his visit Pope Benedict extended a gesture of friendship and returned a 60cm crocodile to Cuba, its native country. The endangered crocodile was smuggled into Italy by an Italian tourist and was captured in the thief’s kitchen by wildlife experts. Blessed by the Pope’s chief of staff Monsignor Giovanni Angelo Becciu, and named Benedictus, Read more
The scent has been created by an Italian perfumer who has previously worked with Sting, Madonna and King Juan Carlos of Spain.
While celebrities often choose decidedly racy names for their perfumes – ‘Midnight Fantasy’ by Britney Spears and the distinctly unholy ‘Diavolo’ for Antonio Banderas, the name of Pope Benedict XVI’s cologne is likely to be more demure, judging by precedent.
Silvana Casoli, the Italian ‘nose’ who recently created the scent, previously came up with two other colognes called ‘Water of Hope’ and ‘Water of Faith’, but they were for the use of the Roman Catholic Church in general whereas this one will be worn only by the Pope.
Unlike celebrity perfumes adorned with pictures of breathless Hollywood starlets, this one will not be available to buy.
The cologne is meant to reflect the German pontiff’s love of the forests and animals in his native Bavaria, as well as peace and tranquillity. It is infused with lemon tree blossom and the smell of Spring grass.
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