Saturday, June 16, 2007

President Bush visits Pope Benedict at the Vatican

U.S. President George W. Bush, center, and first lady Laura Bush, left, are welcomed to the Vatican by Bishop James Harvey before a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday, June 9, 2007 at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Bishop James Harvey, left, escorts U.S. President George W. Bush, right, and first lady Laura Bush, center, into the Vatican to meet with Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday, June 9, 2007 at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)


Here's a photo that I really like.

U.S. President George W. Bush meets Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican June 9, 2007. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

I like the way the President is showing his respect for the Pope by bowing his head. Some bishops would refuse to do even that these days. And Catholics seemed to have forgotten to show the traditional respect given to the Holy Name of Jesus, the Blessed Trinity, the Blessed Virgin and the saint whose feast day it happened to be by bowing at their names. Anyway, moving on...

I like this shot even better as it depicts Christ looking upon the President of the most powerful nation on earth paying his respects to His Vicar on earth.


U.S. first lady Laura Bush talks with Pope Benedict XVI in The Vatican Saturday, June 9, 2007. President Bush, in his first meeting with Pope Benedict, defended his humanitarian record around the globe, telling the papal leader on Saturday about U.S. efforts to battle AIDS in Africa. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)


U.S. President George W. Bush (L) and Pope Benedict XVI exchange gifts during their meeting at the Vatican June 9, 2007. REUTERS/Plinio Lepri-Pool (VATICAN)

Pope Benedict XVI speaks with U.S. President George W. Bush (L) during their meeting at the Vatican June 9, 2007. REUTERS/Osservatore Romano (VATICAN)

U.S. President George Bush gives a walking sticking made by a former homeless man in Dallas, Texas, to Pope Benedict XVI as they meet at the Vatican, Saturday, June 9, 2007. President Bush, who will meet Italian Premier Romano Prodi and former Premier Sivio Berlusconi, is in Rome as part of his trip through Europe that included the G8 summit in Germany. (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri, Pool)

U.S. President George Bush and his wife Laura pose with Pope Benedict XVI at the end of their talks at the Vatican Saturday, June 9, 2007. (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri, POOL)

U.S. President George W. Bush and first lady Laura exchange gifts with Pope Benedict XVI in The Vatican Saturday, June 9, 2007. Bush, in his first meeting with Pope Benedict, defended his humanitarian record around the globe, telling the papal leader on Saturday about U.S. efforts to battle AIDS in Africa. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
In this photo released by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict VI is flanked by U.S. President George Bush and by Bush's wife Laura, as they pose with Bush's entourage at the Vatican Saturday, June 9, 2007. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, HO)

I like the way that the US delegation respects Vatican protocol by having the women cover their heads. I wish we would respect the biblical injunction of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians and do the same in our Churches.

Pope Benedict XVI poses with U.S. President George W. Bush (L) during their meeting at the Vatican June 9, 2007. REUTERS/Osservatore Romano (VATICAN)

U.S. first lady Laura Bush visits the tomb of the late Pope John Paul II under St Peter's basilica at the Vatican June 9, 2007. REUTERS/Osservatore Romano (VATICAN)

In this photo released by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, U.S. President George Bush is presented with a gift by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, at the end of a private audience Pope Benedict XVI granted Bush at the Vatican Saturday, June 9, 2007. (AP Photo/ L'Osservatore Romano, HO)

U.S. President George Bush is escorted by Swiss Guards as he leaves after meeting Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, Saturday, June 9, 2007. President Bush is in Rome as part of his trip through Europe that included the G8 summit in Germany. (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)

Cool mantilla.

U.S. President George Bush's wife Laura passes by Swiss Guards as she leaves after meeting Pope Benedict XVI with her husband at the Vatican, Saturday, June 9, 2007. President Bush, who will meet Italian Premier Romano Prodi and former Premier Sivio Berlusconi, is in Rome as part of his trip through Europe that included the G8 summit in Germany. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

What absolutely amazing oictures! Thankyou!

God bless

Anonymous said...

Hmm... do you know that:

"Vatican City: US President George W. Bush drew gasps at the Vatican on Saturday by referring to Pope Benedict XVI as "sir" instead of the expected "His Holiness," pool reporters said.
On his way to see the 80-year-old pontiff, the US leader apparently recognised someone he knew, and could be heard greeting the person with a casual "How ya doin'?"
The pool reporters also noted Bush's relaxed posture, crossing his legs "Texan style" while facing the pope across his desk in the private study of the apostolic palace.
http://archive.gulfnews.com/world/Italy/10131228.html

Such mistakes are often in Bush case. Once he said that Queen of England is 300 years old...

/Mogrim

The Hymn Selector said...

Yeah, even a Methodist like Mrs Bush knows the protocols better than Catholic heads of state, like President Arroyo of the Philippines.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for posting these pictures. I love to see respectful pictures of our president and respectful pictures of our Pope. Neither of these representations is very common in today's media.
Christine

Anonymous said...

What do you know about Wlodimir Ledochowski's role during the last century?

Anonymous said...

My comment is simple, actually it's a question.
What is the President of the most powerful country in the world bowing to a catholic leader? lets not mention that a leader is from a protestant country. Or is it?

Anonymous said...

People let's sit back and watch the prophecies unfold... Revelation 13 is coming true daily... the first beast and the second beast... Who does the Bible say that will pay homage to who? People lets wake up this is not just a regular meeting.

Andrew said...

Anonymi, stop being childish, gullible and ridiculous. I can almost hear the X-Files theme when I read your comment.

America has no established religion and the President, unlike you, knows how to show respect, perhaps because he's well brought up.

Stop being so concerned about the End. What possible benefit could knowing the date and the hour bring you?

Would you be more evangelical, more caring, more prayerful? Do all of those things now so that should the angel's trumpet sound, you'll continue with what you're doing for you are right with God. If you fell that something more needs to be done when the Call comes, then do it now. Don't wait.

Be more concerned about how you are living now and whether you are right with God. Pray for the grace for a happy death or, should the end come while you are still alive, to be prepared and ready to meet your Maker.

Should you want to engage in more scholarly discussions on the meaning and message of the Book of the Apocalypse in an atmosphere absent of hysteria, then write here with your email and I'll gladly pursue the matter further.

Anonymous said...

Hello, Im not going to insult you but I will speak the truth. Jesus said in the Bible "Call no man on earth father for you have only ONE Father who is in heaven.." Matthew 23:9 First of all catholics call this mere fragile old man Holy Father and also bow down to worship him, like Revelation speaks about. Everything about this leader is in fact antichrist and paganism. He is not the substitue for Christ and it is very sad that people believe that their salvation is through this man. Jesus is the ONLY mediator between man and God.. to believe anyone else is (especially a man) is against Christ. Where in the bible does it say that you are supposed to pray to Mary? Nowhere. If so, please show me. And on top of that... Catholics pray to statues of dead saints and a dead Jesus on a cross and Mary... Clearly (that is if you read your bibles), God wiped out whole nations because of idolatry!God Himself spake against the worshipping of graven images and statues in His 10 commandments! So if God commanded you not to do so, then who is the mere man to tell you that it is ok? I hope you people wake up before it is too late because everything about this "leader" is not for God, but completely against Him and he is leading you all astray.. Read your bibles and receive the truth from that source and not this human being. This message is truly out of love...