Tuesday, 27 October 2009

• Pope Benedict's Bedtime

  Last Wednesday, 21st October, the editor of the very fine magazine 'Inside The Vatican' was in St Peter's Square as he very often is and was observing Pope Benedict's apartment window. This is what he said:

  The pope's light was burning late tonight.

  In fact, in all the years of his pontificate, since the spring of 2005 after his election, his custom has been to keep the light on until about 11pm. Then the window goes dark. Sometimes it is a little before 11, sometimes a little after.

  But this evening, it was still burning at 11.15, at 11.30, at 11.45 and at 12 midnight. I don't know if it was on any longer, because midnight was when I glanced up at the Apostolic Palace for the last time before calling it a day and heading back here to write. The light was still on as I turned and walked away.

  Is the Pope working late?

  Or did someone forget to turn off the light?

  I don't know......I only know that the light stayed on much longer than usual.

  I wonder if Benedict was comforting his Private Secretary Monsignor Ganswein because of the loss of his mother a day or so previous and they had stayed up to talk and pray about it?

  It is an idea.

  

   

  • 9:18 AM
  • 1 View
  • 0 eProps
  • 0 Comments