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Skriven 2006-09-01 13:55:36 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service (Press Release)
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                The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                          Vatican Information Service.
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                               VIS-Press releases

POPE VISITS ITALIAN SHRINE OF MANOPPELLO

VATICAN CITY, SEP 1, 2006 (VIS) - This morning, Benedict XVI travelled by
helicopter from his summer residence of Castelgandolfo to the Shrine of the
Holy Face at Manoppello in the Italian region of Abruzzi.

In the year 1506, exactly 500 years ago, an unknown pilgrim brought the Face to
Manoppello and gave it to one of the town notables who kept it in his family
home. Years later it passed to another family who, in 1638, donated it to the
shrine of the Friars Minor Capuchins where it is displayed in an ostensory over
the main altar.

The Holy Face is a cloth veil protected between two sheets of glass. It
measures 17 x 24 cm and bears the effigy of a long-haired man. His cheeks are
dissimilar: one, rounder than the other, appears considerably swollen. His eyes
look very intensely upward so the whites are visible under the iris. The pupils
are completely open, but in an irregular way, and the gaze is at once
questioning and loving.

The Holy Father entered the shrine in the company of Archbishop Bruno Forte of
Chieti-Vasto. Following a moment of adoration before the Most Holy Sacrament
and a prayer before the relic of the Holy Face, the Pope addressed some words
to those present.

"Those who meet Jesus," he said, "those who let themselves be attracted by Him
and are ready to follow Him even unto the sacrifice of their lives, personally
experience, as He did on the cross, how only the 'grain of wheat' that falls to
earth and dies brings 'much fruit'."

"This is the way of Christ, the way of total love that triumphs over death,"
said Pope Benedict, adding: "This is the experience enjoyed by those true
friends of God, the saints, who have recognized and loved in their brethren,
especially in the poorest and most needy, the face of God long contemplated
with love and prayer. They are encouraging examples for us to follow."

"In order to enter into communion with Christ and contemplate His face," the
Pope went on, our lives must be "illuminated by the truth of love which
overcomes indifference, doubt, lies and egoism."

Turning to address priests, the Pope said that if the saintliness of Christ's
face remains impressed within them "the faithful entrusted to your care will be
affected and transformed." He asked seminarians not to allow themselves to be
attracted "by anything other than Jesus and the desire to serve His Church."
Finally, the Pope exhorted male and female religious to ensure that all their
activities become "a reflection of divine goodness and mercy. ... Searching for
the face of Christ must be the desire of all Christians."

May the Virgin Mary, said Benedict XVI, "in whose face more than in any other
creature the features of the incarnate Word are visible, watch over families
and parishes, over cities and nations of the whole world. May the Mother of the
Creator also help us to respect nature, that great gift of God. ... A gift
which, nonetheless, is ever more exposed to risk of degradation, and must
therefore be protected and secured."

Following a brief visit to the religious community of the convent of Friars
Minor Capuchins, the Holy Father returned to Castelgandolfo.
BXVI-VISIT/SHRINE MANOPPELLO/FORTE VIS 060901 (550)

SUMMARY

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