Pope Returns To Germany
Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Germany on Thursday for his first foreign trip as pope, a journey that will emphasize outreach to Jews and Muslim and evangelizing a Europe that has drifted from its Christian heritage.
About 325,000 flag-waving and hymn-singing pilgrims had arrived by Wednesday for the Roman Catholic Church's 20th World Youth Day, awaiting the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI, organizers said, with up to a million people from 184 countries expected by the time Benedict celebrates a closing Mass on Sunday.
One of Thursday's highlights will be Benedict's trip through the city on the Rhine River aboard a cruise ship. The leader of the world's Roman Catholics is also scheduled to visit the city's oldest synagogue and will meet with the leaders of Germany's Muslim minority.
Alexandra Di Lallo, an 18-year-old pilgrim from St. Raymond parish in Candiac outside Montreal, said she was eager to see the new pope but sad that John Paul would not be there.
"Of course there's a bit of disappointment because John Paul was the only pope I had ever known," she said. "We don't know this pope and we're waiting to see what he's like. It's excellent that this pope is continuing his legacy."
Pope Benedict is working to send a message particularly to young people such as Di Lallo, Author and Christianity reporter . He said in a Monday interview that he wants to communicate to young people how beautiful it is to be Christian - because it's like having wings.
"If he can come up with phrases like that, I think he'll make a hit," Hebblethwaite said.
Most have known only one pope - John Paul II, who died April 2 after serving 27 years - and were curious to see how his successor, a former theology professor and Vatican doctrine official elected April 19, would connect with the faithful. Many made their plans to come while John Paul was still alive and had hoped to see him.
They filed through Cologne's giant cathedral and overflowed into streets and squares, many of them waving the flags of their countries and singing in Spanish, French, German, English, Polish and Romanian as they celebrated their faith together.
CBS News Correspondent Sabina Castelfranco reports the trip is seen by many as a major test for the new pope, who has said he hopes to bring a new wave of faith to Europe.
"All eyes will be on him," she adds. "He'll be watched carefully to see if he's become more comfortable with large crowds. Young people know this is a different pope, who will without a doubt have a different style to that of Pope John Paul. But they are confident he too is a great communicator and are excited to see him and hear his message."
The German-born pontiff will also meet with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and other top government officials, and opposition party leader Angela Merkel.
As the pope left Rome to begin his four-day German visit, the Vatican was reacting to two major news events: the murder of the 90-year-old founder of the Taize Ecumenical Community of monks in France, by a woman suspected to be mentally ill, and a lawsuit filed against the pope.
The slain monk, Brother Roger Schutz, was internationally famous for his philosophy and deeds, including the harboring of Jewish refugees during the Nazi occupation of France. The pope, who knew him, called the killing "very sad and terrifying news." Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the Church of England, called it "an indescribable shock."
The lawsuit, filed by an American lawyer on behalf sex abuse victims, accuses the pontiff of covering up sexual abuse of children when he was the high-powered Vatican official known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
The pope's lawyers have asked President Bush to certify Benedict's immunity from liability in the civil lawsuit since he is a head of state - the Vatican city-state.
In Cologne Thursday, larger-than-life portraits of both John Paul II and Benedict XVI were hung on buildings overlooking the square in front of the city's massive cathedral where the new pope will address the crowd Thursday.
Several hundred Poles waving their red-and-white flags gathered under the John Paul portrait to sing his favorite song, "The Barge." A half-dozen French young people began chanting, "John Paul II, we love you," in English, and the chant was taken up by dozens of others near the portrait.
For some, John Paul, who founded World Youth Day as a way to evangelize young people, was still clearly the favorite, especially among those who were at his last World Youth Day appearance two years ago in Toronto.
Susan Egan, 27, from Clara, Ireland, paused when asked about the new pope.
"It's going to be very different, not having Pope John Paul here," she said. "It gets to you. To me John Paul will always be my pope."
Marcelius Katanga from Rundu, Namibia, said: "We took up the invitation by John Paul to be with our fellow young people."
"We believe that our new pope can be like John Paul," said Katanga, 26.