2006年VOA标准英语-Pope Benedict Visits Birthplace of John Paul

By Sabina Castelfranco
Krakow
27 May 2006
 
Pope Benedict IVX is on the third day of a visit to Poland, following in the footsteps of his predecessor¹ John Paul II. On Saturday morning he visited his birthplace in the town of Wadowice.

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Pope Benedict XVI is presented with a portrait of late Pope John Paul II
  

A huge crowd packed the main square of Wadowice, and the nearby streets for Pope Benedict's visit to his predecessor's hometown. Many stood under a banner calling for their beloved pope, who died in April of last year, to be declared a saint soon.

Benedict received a very warm welcome. Thousands waved white and yellow Vatican flags and cheered.

Benedict first prayed in the Baroque church where John Paul was baptized. Then he visited his childhood home, which is now a museum. Benedict walked through the rooms where photos document John Paul's boyhood.

Then he addressed the multitude gathered in the John Paul II Square.

He told those gathered before him that he could not fail to visit Wadowice, the place, he said, where John Paul's faith began and matured.  Benedict added that John Paul's love for the church was born in the parish of Wadowice.

The pope's itinerary² Saturday also included a visit to two shrines⁴ that were important places of prayer for the Polish pope.  Before leaving the first one he visited, the shrine³ of Kalwaria, Benedict said what many were waiting to hear.

Benedict said that he, like Krakow Cardinal⁵ Stanislaw Dziwisz, John Paul's long-time personal secretary, was praying that their favorite son would soon be declared blessed and then a saint.

Benedict put John Paul on the fast track to sainthood only a month after being elected to succeed him in April 2005.

On Saturday afternoon, Pope Benedict was scheduled to visit Wawel Cathedral in Krakow and then address young people in the city's park of Blonie.

On his final day, Sunday, Benedict, who has avoided speaking his native German so as not to offend Polish and Jewish sensitivities is also due to visit the Nazi⁶ death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

1 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

2 itinerary   

n.行程表，旅行路线；旅行计划

参考例句：

• The two sides have agreed on the itinerary of the visit.双方商定了访问日程。
• The next place on our itinerary was Silistra.我们行程的下一站是锡利斯特拉。

3 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

4 shrines   

圣地，圣坛，神圣场所( shrine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• All three structures dated to the third century and were tentatively identified as shrines. 这3座建筑都建于3 世纪，并且初步鉴定为神庙。
• Their palaces and their shrines are tombs. 它们的宫殿和神殿成了墓穴。

5 cardinal   

n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的

参考例句：

• This is a matter of cardinal significance.这是非常重要的事。
• The Cardinal coloured with vexation. 红衣主教感到恼火，脸涨得通红。

6 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。