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The Power of the Pope
Pope Offers Olive Branch to
Jews
By Donna Watson
THE WEIGHT of POPE Benedict XVI reached out to the world's Jews
yesterday in a moving homily at his official inauguration.
In an open-air Mass at the Vatican, he called for unity between
all faiths and those of none.
| They heard the pontiff greet 'my brothers and sisters of the
Jewish people, to whom we are joined by a great shared spiritual
heritage, one rooted in God's irrevocable promises'. |
Thousands of Catholics joined world and religious leaders to
welcome Joseph Ratzinger as the 265th successor to St Peter.
They heard the pontiff greet 'my brothers and sisters of the
Jewish people, to whom we are joined by a great shared spiritual
heritage, one rooted in God's irrevocable promises'.
The olive branch was seen as significant because of his past as
a member of Hitler Youth.
He said: ' Finally, like a wave gathering force, my thoughts go
out to all men and women of today, to believers and
non-believers alike.'
The Pope ended the ceremony by driving through the piazza in
Rome in an open-topped Popemobile and greeting the crowds.
The Mass saw around half a million pilgrims gather at St Peter's
Square to see the Pope installed in the ancient ceremony Wearing
gold vestments over the white Papal gowns, Benedict was given
the symbols of power - the Fisherman's Ring and the pallium, a
stole of white wool embroidered with crosses.
The gold ring is engraved with St Peter casting his fishing nets
and is used as the papal seal.
The two-hour ceremony began with prayers by the Pope and
cardinals at the site of St Peter's tomb, underneath the
basilica.
At 10.15am, the Pope emerged into the sunshine as the crowd
chanted ' Benedicto'.
The hardliner paid tribute to his predecessor John Paul II and
promised to lead the world's 1.1billion Catholics with a
listening ear.
He added: 'And now, at this moment, weak servant of God that I
am, I must assume this enormous task, which truly exceeds all
human capacity. How can I do this? How will I be able to do it?'
'I am not alone. I do not have to carry alone what in truth I
could never carry alone. All the saints of God are there to
protect me, to sustain me and to carryme. 'And your prayers, my
dear friends, your indulgence, your love, your faith and your
hope accompany me
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