Post date: Apr 16, 2012 2:20:27 PM
The Pope chooses his 85th birthday to thank all those that helped him 'to carry the weight of responsibility' throughout his stay at the Vatican. Catholics join to wish him a happy birthday.
VATICAN CITY (APRIL 16, 2012) (CTV AND REUTERS) - Pope Benedict XVI marked his 85th birthday on Monday (April 16) celebrating a private morning mass at the Vatican with bishops visiting from his native Bavaria.
Benedict became one of the oldest popes in history on Monday, and on Thursday he marks the seventh anniversary of his election as successor to the immensely popular John Paul II. He will celebrate both in the company of his older brother Georg, a priest, and a few close aides.
Benedict is already older than John Paul was when he died in 2005 and is now the oldest reigning pope since Leo XIII, who died aged 93 in 1903 after reigning for 25 years.
During the mass the Dean of the Sacred College, cardinal Angelo Sodano, praised the Pope for his energy and strength.
"On the day of your birthday we wanted to thank you for the strength that you always put in accomplishing your mission of love" Sodano said, addressing the Pope in German.
Benedict, in turn, took the occasion to thank all those who helped him 'carry the weight of responsibility' throughout thirty years at the Vatican, as a member of the Roman Curia first, then as pontiff.
"In the end, Dean of the Sacred College, I offer you a heartfelt thank you for your words of brotherly friendship and for your co-operation in all these years" the Pope said.
"A great thank you to all those who helped me in thirty years that I have been in Rome, who have assisted me in carrying the weight of my responsibility. Thank you. Amen' the Pope concluded.
Vatican radio reported that earlier, speaking in German, the Pope had observed himself to be 'in the last leg of the path of my life'. "...and I don't know what awaits me" he is reported to have said.
Pope Benedict made no public appearances on Monday but tourists and pilgrims visiting St. Peter's Square all wanted to wish him well and most thought he seemed in good health considering his age.
"(I wish him) courage and prayer, because his mission in the world is very delicate and very difficult in all this sea of problems" said Elias Daw, a priest from Nazareth.
"I wish the Pope great happiness, that he may have many more birthdays. Yes, he is getting old, maybe a bit tired, but this is normal, he has many years on his back" said Miriam Aguilar, a Spanish tourist.
A group of German youths stood in front of St. Peter's Square and sung Happy Birthday for the Pope.
Last year, to conserve Benedict's strength, he began using a mobile platform instead of walking up the aisle of St Peter's basilica.
The Vatican says it is to spare him fatigue and there is no concern about his overall health. His brother has said Benedict suffered two mild strokes before his election in 2005 and he reportedly suffers from high blood pressure and arthritis.
The Vatican has announced that the Pope will travel to Lebanon in September and may go to Brazil in 2013.