Benedict XVI in Poland - the continuing story

Hi:)
The last part of report about Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Poland in 2006.

Below - yesterday at Lagiewniki santuary - the picture behind is saint Faustyna Kowalska - the Polish nun who is said to help many people (soldiers) to survive during attrocities of I world war specially.

Today in Crakow - Mass on so called Cracow Blonia where Pope Benedict XVI said "Cracow is your city but it is also my city". I would like to stress once again that Pope John Paul II was Archbishop of Cracow city before he became Pope John Paul II. About 1-1.5 million people have come today to attend Pope's benedict XVI mass today.

And beneath there are some pictures from early life of Pope Benedict XVI. I have also read some funny things about him in the interwiew with his still alive - 3 years older brother Georg who told to a Polish journalist that in fact in early childhood they both belonged to Compulsory Hitlerjugend and they played in being catholic priests plays. Well...very interesting interview, indeed - with many more details about earlier visits in Poland of both Ratzinger brothers.

1. Benedict XVI - a schoolboy


2. One of the living houses of Ratzinger family (they were moving very often)

3. Benedict XVI at his first communion - 1 row, sixth from the left


4. Benedict XVI in year 1937 - second from the left in first row

5. Benedict XVI in 1937 again - second row, third from the left

6. Family picture of Benedict XVI with his parents, older brother and sister Mary.


Below the pictures from the meeting of Pope Benedict XVI with young people at Cracow Błonia - yesterday in the evening:)



Finally pictures from Pope Benedict visit in Auschwitz today in the late afternoon. I would like also to attach one link with description of his visit there:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/05/28/
auschwitz.pope.ap/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5024324.stm
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2029773,00.html










Now Benedict XVI is leaving Poland. If he arrives again, he will surely go to Cracow. He has told it today. Where will he go for his next journey?
I think he will go to Israel. How do you think?:)
Nice day for everyone:)

PS. First visit of Pope Benedict XVI in Poland has ended with a tremendous success. He is invited again of course. He won hearts of young people totally. Today in the afteroon he appeared three times in the famous "Wojtyla" window of Archbishop's Palace in Cracow. I think all catholics around the world and all German catholics should be proud of Benedict XVI.
He can find a perfect contact with young people who clap their hands when he speaks to them shouting in Italian "Bennedecto (...) letto" what means in English "Benedict -God has chosen you!".

See you soon:)

Pope Benedict XVI in Poland- the sequel

Hello:)
In this entry of mine I would like to show you some more photos about Benedict XVI in Poland.
Today Benedict has visited Wadowice in the morning ( the town and house where Pope John Paul II was born), then he was in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska sanctuary and in Łagiewniki Sanctuary of God's Mercy. All these places aren't far from Cracow.
Łagiewniki Church is rather young. It commemorates saint Faustyna Kowalska - Polish nun who was a prophet of God's Mercy and had some visions of Jesus. She lived before I World War. She was very poor and died because of tuberculosis at the age of 33. Of course noone believed into her visions at first. Now she is canonized.
Ok. But I would like to tell you about something more. Look how Benedict XVI travel.

Below there are the pictures of his staying in Czestochowa yesterday in the afternoon. He spent there several hours praying in front of holy icon and blessing people who came to listen to him.

Two last pictures of this entry were taken in Crakow yesterday. During his pilgrimiges to Poland Pope John Paul II had a custom of opening the window of his Cracow's bedroom (in the Archbishop's Palace where he lived before he became Pope John Paul II) in the evening and talking to young people who were gathered under. Yesterday Pope Benedict did the same:)
I have to say that Pope Benedict speaks really good Polish. One year after the death of Pope John Paul II he is almost fluent in Polish - specially as deals parts of masses and blessings but not only. For me it is really stunning. He reads quite large parts of his sermons in Polish too. My regards to Benedict XVI.

Read me soon:)

Pope Benedict XVI in Poland

Hello:)

This time I would like to send to you some photos from first foreign travel of Pope Benedict XVI which brought this noble guest from Roma to Poland:)
Benedict came yesterday in the afternoon. Today most people in Poland had a free day to go and welcome him. He arrived at Warsaw. Today in the morning he has celebrated a mass there and has flown into Crakow after visiting Czestochowa. Tomorrow he will celebrate another mass in Crakow. In the meantime he will visit nearby Wadowice (place of birth of John Paul II) and concetration camp of Auschwitz. The last visit will be very meaningful. German Pope in Auschwitz. And here you have some pictures from this important visit:)

1. Poland waits for Benedict

2. Benedict is flying to Poland

3. Benedict is leaving his airplane


4. Benedict sends "hello" sign to the crowds


5. Benedict welcomes Polish president


7. Another photo of Benedict and Polish president


8. Benedict travels through the streets of Warsaw in bullet-proof car:)

9. Polish policemen make the Benedict's visit safe.


10. Main archbishop of Polish catholic church welcomes Benedict

11. Benedict is sitting on his papal throne:)

12. Benedict stood up

Three pictures below were taken in Czestochowa where Pope Benedict XVI has spent some hours today afternoon. About half million of people welcomed him there.





And last pictures for today - they were taken in Auschitz. Pope Benedict will visit Auschwitz soon during his visit. I hope you know how cruel place Auschwitz was and how symbolic for every human being it will always be.




Ok. That's all for today. Both pictures from India and comments about futher life of Anne of Green Gables have to wait.
What I would like to tell to you also is that lately I have been watching Eisenstein's movie about Ivan the Terrible and I am still moved by this story. Really.
Will Benedict XVI go to Moscow? I think very little probable thing.
Read me soon:)