The Holy Father has arrived! Updated



The Holy Father has arrived!

The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, is in the United States. He arrived at 3: 58PM EST today on his first papal journey to the U.S. He was greeted off the plane by President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and their daughter, Jenna. The Holy Father walked briskly down the stairs (in his red Prada shoes) waving, as he came off the plane and shook hands with President Bush and his family. The Holy Father also greeted Mary Ann Glendon, US ambassador to the Vatican, and other state and church dignitaries. There were 5,000 military families assembled on the tarmac at Andrews Air Force base awaiting his arrival who cheered him as he waved to them.

Both the Holy Father and Bush were grinning and seemed delighted to be in one another's company as they walked together. As the Holy Father walked toward his limousine, the young people sang "Happy Birthday". (Tomorrow is his 81st birthday.) He appeared to be both touched and pleased.

This is the first time in President Bush's seven year term that he has ever greeted anyone on the tarmac at Andrew's Air Force Base.

~ copyright Jean M. Heimann April 15, 2008
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Comments

  1. Malcolm4/16/08, 12:01 PM

    Thank you for using my video on your web site.

    Here's a link to the speech given by the pope at the white house today

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQY4f8ZGQ2Y

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jean Heimann4/17/08, 10:38 AM

    Thanks for the video and for the information, Malcom! This is an excellent video!

    ReplyDelete

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