ARGENTINA: Argentine Catholics attend special mass to bid farewell to Pope Benedict XVI

Record ID: 447266

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Argentine Catholics attend special mass to bid farewell to Pope Benedict XVI
  • Date: 27th February 2013
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF MASS HANDS HOLDING HOLY CARDS OF POPE BENEDICT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CATHOLIC SUSANA LLANOS, SAYING: "Our eternal gratitude. He has the courage to make decisions and that is something that is admirable. He is illuminated by the Holy Spirit and he knows what he is doing." VARIOUS OF DEVOTEES TAKING COMMUNION FAITHFUL LEAVING THE CATHEDRAL
  • Embargoed: 14th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Religion,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA3SRGDVAUF4ZR6NKRW7AI3QIAI
  • Story Text: As Pope Benedict XVI held his last general audience at St. Peter's Square on Wednesday (February 27), Argentine Catholics gathered for a special farewell mass in Buenos Aires.
    Devotees held cards with the pope's image and prayed during the mass held in his honour.
    Auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, Monsignor Joaquin Sucunza, said the pope's departure provided an opportunity for Catholics to submerge themselves more deeply in their faith.
    "So that we realize that here, with this intense reality that we are living through these days with the departure of Benedict XVI from his current position - because he is going to continue in another position - forces all of us during this time of Lent to submerge ourselves more deeply in faith," he said.
    Catholic Susana Llanos praised Benedict's decision to step down and said that he was guided by the Holy Spirit.
    "Our eternal gratitude. He has the courage to make decisions and that is something that is admirable. He is illuminated by the Holy Spirit and he knows what he is doing," said Llanos.
    The pope says he is too old and weak to continue leading a Church beset by crises over child abuse by priests and a leak of confidential Vatican documents showing corruption and rivalry among Vatican officials.
    The 85-year-old has one day left before he takes the historic step of becoming the first pontiff in some six centuries to step down instead of ruling for life.
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