Benedict XVI turns 85.
The Pope celebrated Mass in the Pauline Chapel and attended a performance by a traditional Bavarian dance group.
247 - Pope Benedict XVI turns 85 this Monday, the 16th. To celebrate his birthday, the Pontiff celebrated a Mass in the Pauline Chapel. There was also a performance by a traditional Bavarian dance group in the Vatican.
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the Catholic Church is celebrating the date with joy. "The Church celebrates with joy, while messages of congratulations arrive from all over the world," the priest declared in an interview with Vatican Radio.
Lombardi further added that Benedict XVI's birthday expresses "two sentiments: one is gratitude to the Lord for this Pope who guides us with great strength, gentleness and faith and who, therefore, is a gift from God. The other is admiration. Although [Benedict XVI] began this ministry for the universal Church at an advanced age, it is a very rich and intense Pontificate, with many trips and important events, with an intense and multifaceted magisterium."
A video circulating on YouTube features messages to the Pope from various parts of the world, recorded in several languages: