Multiple choruses of 'Happy Birthday' mark the pope's 81st

Published: 2008-04-16

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- At 5:21 a.m., the disc jockey on a country music radio station in Fredericksburg, Va. -- 50 miles south of Washington -- invited listeners to join her in singing "Happy Birthday" to Pope Benedict XVI. On the South Lawn of the White House, dignitaries, bishops and guests joined in an impromptu rendition of the song. Later, opera star Kathleen Battle led the song again, and the pope blew out candles on a four-tier cake. Pope Benedict celebrated his 81st birthday in Washington April 16 and heard "Happy Birthday" numerous times. He also ate a birthday luncheon of special Italian fare with U.S. cardinals and received some uncommon gifts from Catholic school students. Gianluca Biccini, who is traveling with the papal entourage, told the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, that Pope Benedict "began the second day of his apostolic visit at an early hour with a Mass celebrated in the small chapel of the apostolic nunciature," where he was staying in Washington. The paper described the Mass as being a "family" celebration with the pope's closest aides as well as "about 30 members of the nunciature staff accompanied by their families."

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .