Pope, turning 80, thanks church for surrounding him with affection

Published: 2007-04-16

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- At a Mass marking his 80th birthday, Pope Benedict XVI thanked the church for surrounding him with affection "like a true family" and for supporting him with prayers. "Over and over, I recognize with joy how great is the number of people who sustain me with their prayers, who with their faith and love help me carry out my ministry, and who are indulgent with my weakness," he said April 15. The Mass opened two days of celebrations commemorating the pope's April 16 birthday and the second anniversary of his election April 19. The festivities featured a Vatican concert, dozens of written testimonials and a giant birthday cake in the shape of the Vatican. Some 50,000 people, including German pilgrims wearing traditional dress, jammed into St. Peter's Square for the liturgy. The altar area was surrounded by thousands of flowers -- yellow and white, the colors of the Vatican. Greeting the pope in the name of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano said his 80th birthday marked a moment of "spiritual joy" for the entire church.

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