I love this photo - look at those white lilies thrown at the Popemobile when Papa was in Bari
last May! A recent find by Ratzigirl. Almost makes up for the relative and inexplainable
scarcity of photos taken in Bari.


Thanks, LutheranGuest, for your latest selection from e-bay!

At the Pope's New Year meeting with administrative officials of the city of Rome, and the province and region of Lazio on 1/13/05:


(L) With the Mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni; (R)With the president of Lazio province, Enrico Gasbarra)

[C](L)With regional President Marrazzo; (R)Papa needs his reading glasses!

(Photos from the terra.es site)

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 16/01/2006 0.17]

When Papa looks like this, it's easy to ignore the clown trademark!

Ratzi's eyes are so alive I can almost see them moving! And Giorgio for some reason seems to be in ecstasy.
Paparatzifan unearthed this photos - taken at the Palazzo Sant'Uffizio during a visit by a school group.



THE RATZI EFFECT: Look how all of Ratzi's young visitors are beaming like him!

Farabolafoto's pictures are nice sized and would be great pics if not for the very intrusive copywrite mark. This is an interesting one. Makes you wonder what they are looking/commenting at. We can let our imaginations run with this one.

Wonderful pictures, the last two, Teresa! Love them! The old man with his arms crossed next to Giorgio looks a little impatient...

[Modificato da .Imladris. 16/01/2006 2.46]

I love the expression on his face in that phot... reminds me of how my dad used to "adjust" an object... sweet.

The other photos are also great. Thanks!!!

If I can trust my eyes, these two pictures taken at today's Angelus are the first ones I have seen
since April 19 which most closely resemble Papa's face during those first unforgettable minutes.

At the end of the General Audience, 1/11/06:

lovely photos!!!

A good one, Teresa!!! gRA(T)ZIe

Ratzigirl unearthed this photo today from the archives of the Munich city hall
(we have seen similar photos taken from much closer)taken during John Paul II's
visit to Munich in 1980.Who would have thought then that 25 years later, Ratzi
would be occupying a Popemobile in his own right?

How Benedict makes a common gesture look appealingly sweet!- the same way he scrunched his eyes
to read something in the other picture. Actually, this picture also reminds me very much of those beautiful profiles taken of him as a new Cardinal (CPP pix taken in Munich with him dressed in red)!

This is a lovely picture, he looks so relaxed. It also shows the necessity of the sunglasses for which some journalists criticise him. Note how the brown eyed Italians around him have no trouble with the strength of the sun, but he, who has blue-tawny eyes finds it harder to tolerate.

Nice shot of Renato also.... :

Papa: „You know, yesterday we had a little birthday party and it was rather late last night”.


After “Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit” …


„A friend told me all the time: Come on, Joseph, check out this delicious new sort of german beer”


“One hour later suddenly everything seemed to be so funny”


“And a friend of mine told me crazy jokes all the time”
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“My dear guests, all I wanted to tell you is: Please don’t talk to me too loud today”

Superb and totally hilarious, Dinabella. And you have chosen such lovely photos as well..........

A PLEASANT SURPRISE

Thanks, Dinabella, for the lovely photos of Papa and the good humor. It is a very nice way to start the day.

Hahahahahaha!!!! Sehr gut, Dinabella !!! Complimenti!!!

Obviously, today’s audience was rather unusual…..









.....but Papa seems to enjoy it.

Here's a translation of a brief item Ratzigirl posted above about the Pope's reaction
to the circus acts:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Benedict XVI first applauded repeatedly, then he got up from his chair and crossed
the wide platform to greet some circus performers who exhibited some acts for a few
minutes during the general audience today in the Aula Paulo VI.

In the audience sat some 200 officials and staff of four circus companies – Medrano,
Fantasy, Soul Circus, Rony Roller – wno are in Rome these days. Circus musicians provided
an accompaniment to the acts.

“I thank you,” the Pope said warmly, and urged the performers to “manifest always
with joy your faith in Christ.”

--------------------------------------------------------------
Papa must have a soft spot for circus artists - remember that touching letter
he wrote in German (posted here a few weeks back) to a circus owner whom he knew
well enough to keep in touch with both directly and indirectly (through the man's aunt).

TODAY'S UNUSUAL AUDIENCE

The sight of those circus performers at today's audience and Papa's composure and good humor reminded me of his reaction to the juggler at the vigil at Marienfeld during World Youth Day. When that juggler started throwing hats in the air to the sound of some raucous music right after some respectful solemnities, I nearly fell off my chair. Papa, however, just raised his eyebrows the slightest bit and kept his composure. From the photos on the audience, he looks like he did very well again although I would bet circus acts aren't exactly his favorite form of entertainment.