On Tuesday Pope Benedict XVI began a six-day visit to Washington and New York.
MARYLOU TOUSIGNANT / The Washington Post | Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2008 7:00 pm
WASHINGTON — On Tuesday Pope Benedict XVI (the 16th) began a six-day visit to Washington and New York.
Marylou Tousignant answers some questions you might have about him and his visit.
Q. Who is Benedict XVI?
A. Joseph Alois Ratzinger was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1927. His father was a police officer and his mother was a hotel cook before she married.
While rising through the ranks of the Roman Catholic Church, he taught at various universities and wrote religious books. He became a priest in 1951, and in 1977 he was named a cardinal of the church.
There are about 200 Catholic cardinals. They help the pope with his duties.
Q. What does the pope do?
A. He is the leader of the Catholic Church. With 1.1 billion members, 64 million of them in the United States, it is the world’s largest Christian church. Benedict is the 265th pope, a line stretching back 2,000 years to Saint Peter, the first pope. The church teaches that Peter’s authority came directly from Jesus Christ, so the decisions of Peter and his successors on matters of faith or morals are infallible (can’t be in error).
Q. Where does the pope live?
A. In Vatican City, the world’s smallest independent state. Surrounded by Rome, Italy, the Vatican is about half the size of Washington’s RFK Stadium site and has a population of about 1,000. The pope also has a summer home (with a pool!) near Rome.
Q. How are popes chosen?
A. When a pope dies, some cardinals meet privately at the Vatican to elect a new leader. White smoke rising from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel and the ringing of the great bell of St. Peter’s Basilica signal that there is a new pope.
You don’t have to be a cardinal to become pope — but it helps. Since the 15th century, only cardinals have been elected.
Ratzinger succeeded his friend John Paul II as pope in 2005. He is the ninth pope of German heritage and the first since 1523.
Q. Why do popes take a new name?
A. It’s a sign of their new responsibilities. Ratzinger chose the name Benedict in honor of Saint Benedict, a popular figure in Bavaria, and Pope Benedict XV (the 15th), who worked to end World War I.
Q. Has a pope ever visited the United States?
A. Yes, this will be the ninth papal visit. The first was in 1965. But it’s Benedict’s first trip to the United States as pope.
Q. What will he do here?
A. In Washington he visited with President and Mrs. Bush — only the second time that a pope has been to the White House. He also met with Catholic bishops and the heads of more than 200 Catholic colleges and universities. On Thursday he celebrated Mass (a religious service) at Nationals Park.
In New York he will address the United Nations, meet with disabled youngsters, celebrate Mass at Yankee Stadium and visit the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Q. Where can I learn more about his visit?
A. For more details, go to www.dcpapalvisit.org.
Papal attire
Popes traditionally wear white garments. Benedict has added a few special touches, including a fur-trimmed stocking cap called a camauro. Popular in the Middle Ages, it’s not practical for Washington in April, but you might see the pope wearing these items:
— Miter: A tall, white, pointed hat worn by the pope, cardinals and bishops. It is removed during prayer.
— Zucchetto: A skullcap worn under the miter. The pope’s zucchetto is white. Cardinals wear red ones, and bishops’ are violet.
— Mantum: A papal cape. Recent popes hadn’t worn one, but Benedict brought it back.
— Pallium: A circular white-wool band draped around the neck and over the shoulders. It is adorned with small crosses and has two hanging flaps, one in front, the other in back.
— Mozzetta: A short cape reaching to the elbows. The pope has three versions: red satin for summer, red velvet for winter, and white for Eastertime. A papal mozzetta may have a small hood.
— Red leather shoes: The color symbolizes the blood of the martyrs, people who chose to suffer or die rather than give up their faith.
— Fisherman’s ring: Made of gold, it’s a symbol of his authority stemming from St. Peter, a fisherman by trade. When Benedict dies, his ring will be crushed and a new one made for the next pope.