VATICAN: Pope Benedict XVI yesterday spoke of how he had experienced "no small fear" in that moment on April 19th last when he realised that the College of Cardinals had just elected him pope.
Benedict's remarks came during his traditional pre-Christmas meeting with the Roman Curia and Vatican officials: "My thoughts go back to April 19th this year, when the College of Cardinals, causing me no small fear, elected me successor to John Paul II, successor to Peter.
"A task such as this was way beyond the bounds of anything I might ever have imagined as my vocation. Thus, it was only thanks to a great act of faith in God that I was able, in my obedience, to say yes to this choice [ by the cardinals]," the pope said.
As Benedict prepares for his first Christmas as pope, the Vatican has confirmed that his schedule will be very similar to that of his late predecessor.
On Saturday night, he will preside over the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass in the Basilica of St Peter's, while on Sunday he will issue the traditional papal "Urbi et Orbe" address to the city and the world, again in St Peter's.
In truth, the only real change in the Vatican's Christmas celebrations this year is Benedict himself, a point he underlined on Wednesday when he appeared for his weekly public audience in a cold St Peter's Square, wearing a fur-trimmed stocking cap that made him look like Father Christmas.
His address yesterday also underlined this point, since he not only referred back to his election in April, but he also made several references to John Paul II.
"I think back above all to the demise of our dearly beloved holy father John Paul II, a death preceded by a long road of suffering and by the gradual loss of the word," he said.
"No pope left us as many words and thoughts as he did; no previous pope was able to visit, as he did, the entire world, speaking directly to mankind in every continent.
"In the end, however, John Paul II was called on to walk down a road of suffering and silence. We will never forget those images of him on Palm Sunday when, with an olive branch in his hand and in visible pain, he stood at his window and gave us the blessing of the Lord."