THE VATICAN, February 27, (WEBNOVINY) — Pope Benedict XVI who will officially abdicates on the last day of February received Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic on Wednesday in the Vatican. “I am very glad that I was received by the Holy Father as the only and perhaps the last president with whom he met. I told him that Slovaks send him greetings and love him but that he also has respect of those who are not believers because he did so much for peace in the world,” the Slovak president stated after he met with the head of the Roman Catholic Church. They spoke for about ten minutes. Gasparovic was today the only president to attend the pope’s final general audience at St. Peter’s Square where tens of thousands of people crowded to bid farewell to the pope.
“I thank you for prayers that accompanied my service of the successor to Saint Peter and I bless you and your families from my heart,” said Benedict XVI in Slovak language in the crowds on the square. Many Slovaks were greeting the pontiff holding banners on which they thanked him for his service. The Slovak Bishops’ Conference is organizing the National Pilgrimage to Rome on the occasion of the 1150th anniversary of the arrival of Sts Cyril and Methodius to the territory of current Slovakia.
During the audience Gasparovic presented the pontiff with a gift – Gorazd’s embossment and a letter in which he expresses respect to the pope on behalf of all Slovaks. Gasparovic says that the pope is very sorry that he will not be able to come to Slovakia for Sts Cyril and Methodius festivities to which he was invited but that he is happy that he at least could talk with the Slovak president. “I was very glad to hear form the Holy Father that he esteems Slovaks for their devotion to faith. It made me very happy,” he said.
Pope Benedict XVI bid an emotional farewell at his last general audience on Wednesday, saying he understood the gravity of his decision to become the first pontiff to resign in 600 years but that he had done it for the good of the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican appears to be aiming to have a new pope elected by mid-March and installed before Palm Sunday on March 24 so he can preside at Holy Week services leading to Easter.
SITA