OT: The new Pope

[mmm...donuts]

Just a few minutes ago, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has become Pope Benedict XVI, the first German Pope.

[Sogturtle]

Just a few minutes ago, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has become Pope Benedict XVI, the first German Pope.

Well he's the first German Pope since the rise of Germany as a unified, modern state. The last "German" pope was 800 plus years ago when there were three in a row.

[Duck Dodgers]

hoping it will follow the ideas and successes of giovanni paolo the second

[Duck Dodgers]

Well he's the first German Pope since the rise of Germany as a unified, modern state. The last "German" pope was 800 plus years ago when there were three in a row.

even more,it was peter the second,in 1055

[Tom Stathes]

It's a very special day, indeed. As Ratzinger said himself, (not word-for-word) It should be in everyone's interest to preserve the dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, not to change it for popularity. In most cases, I agree.
Tom

[ALK]

I do not like this pope. He thinks that a catholic church is the only place you could pray to god. Me and many others find that offensive.

[wundermild]

even more,it was peter the second,in 1055

Though I'm not a Polevaulter I'd like to contradict: The last German pope was Hadrian IV (1522/23); he was also the final non-Italian pope until Karol Wojtyla (Poland) was elected in 1978.

WW

[Dan Porceddu]

All indications are that he has the same conservative slant as John Paul II. But I hasten to use the word "conservative" lest it be confused with the American version of the word; John Paul II was against war and the death penalty, not just abortion and euthanasia (now that's what I call pro-life, how about you?). Considering that he's 78 years old, he may not be around too long, but that's a rather morbid thought considering he just started the job. I'm not dismissing him like some others in the media have been doing; sadly some people think nobody can follow in John Paul's footsteps, while others are spreading news that Ratzinger was a member of the Hitler Youth (since, as we all know, this new Pope is German). I hope nobody here falls for that one, since membership in the Hitler Youth was compulsory for men Ratzinger's age.

Either way, I wish him well, and though I'm not a Catholic, I was a big fan of John Paul II, so I sort of hope that this Pope will be similar.

[Bluto]

Though I'm not a Polevaulter I'd like to contradict: The last German pope was Hadrian IV (1522/23); he was also the final non-Italian pope until Karol Wojtyla (Poland) was elected in 1978.
WW
Actually Adrian(Hadrian) IV was Dutch.

[wundermild]

Actually Adrian(Hadrian) IV was Dutch.

I hate to get too much off topic, but as this thread itself has nothing to do with classic animation I'll take the risk ... some clarifications on Hadrian IV (born as Adrian Floriß Boeyens) was a denizen of Utrecht, which nowadays, of course, is a Dutch province but which was part of the Holy Roman Empire at his lifetime. There was no country like the Netherlands early in the 16th century, and the Dutch language was considered a German dialect; the Dutch nation hasn't formed until late in the 16th century, when the northern provinces of the northwestern regions of the Holy Empire (i.e. Holland and its allies) fought the Spanish rulers and, by 1648, finally expelled them.
So, technically, Hadrian was an inhabitant of a region that was considered part of Germany back then (and which makes him a German citizen), but that is part of the Netherlands now.

[Duck Dodgers]

Though I'm not a Polevaulter I'd like to contradict: The last German pope was Hadrian IV (1522/23); he was also the final non-Italian pope until Karol Wojtyla (Poland) was elected in 1978.

WW

thanks for your interesting remark,it's a wonderful hystoric fact,i think not many people thought of it and knew it

[ohmahaaha]

I wonder why they didn't pick someone younger? Not an easy job to take on when you're that old.