Pope John Paul II (like he did with so many other Papal and Catholic traditions), discarded this unique to the Papacy style of blessing (three fingers of the right hand), and except for the first 2-3 years of his reign, blessed people and crowds just as any ordinary Bishop or priest would...just the right hand...no folded fingers in Papal blessing.
I have never seen Benedict XVI bless anything in this pose at all. Very sad.
Kneeling before the Holy Father is the newly elected Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Father Pedro Arrupe.
ReplyDeletePope John Paul II (like he did with so many other Papal and Catholic traditions), discarded this unique to the Papacy style of blessing (three fingers of the right hand), and except for the first 2-3 years of his reign, blessed people and crowds just as any ordinary Bishop or priest would...just the right hand...no folded fingers in Papal blessing.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen Benedict XVI bless anything in this pose at all. Very sad.