Pope Francis' visit to benedict significant - analyst
(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION)
The decision by newly-elected Pope Francis to visit his predecessor during his first day in office is a significant move, a Catholic observer said on Thursday (March 14).
Pope Francis, barely 12 hours after his election, quietly left the Vatican early on Thursday to pray for guidance at a Rome basilica and was due to travel outside the city to visit Pope Benedict Emeritus at his summer residence later in the day.
"I think it's extremely significant that he is visiting Pope Emeritus Benedict, because it shows his great humility, it shows the respect and esteem with which we all hold Benedict and at the same time it really shows that he's planned out his day well and in terms of appealing to his core values, humility here," Kim Daniels the director of the organisation Catholic Voices said.
The first South American pontiff and the first non-European pope in 1,300 years, Francis is also Bishop of Rome.
Argentine Cardina
The decision by newly-elected Pope Francis to visit his predecessor during his first day in office is a significant move, a Catholic observer said on Thursday (March 14).
Pope Francis, barely 12 hours after his election, quietly left the Vatican early on Thursday to pray for guidance at a Rome basilica and was due to travel outside the city to visit Pope Benedict Emeritus at his summer residence later in the day.
"I think it's extremely significant that he is visiting Pope Emeritus Benedict, because it shows his great humility, it shows the respect and esteem with which we all hold Benedict and at the same time it really shows that he's planned out his day well and in terms of appealing to his core values, humility here," Kim Daniels the director of the organisation Catholic Voices said.
The first South American pontiff and the first non-European pope in 1,300 years, Francis is also Bishop of Rome.
Argentine Cardina