Latest news with #ShepherdOne
India.com
25-04-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Meet the only person in the world who can travel to any country without a visa, he is..., uses private plane called..., not Trump, British king
(AI image) Vatican City: Is there any person who can go to every country in the world without a visa or passport? Generally, in the world, the kings of Britain and Japan do not need to carry a passport to go anywhere. But there is one person who can travel anywhere in the world at any time without a visa and no country will stop him. This special right or privilege is granted to only one person in the world, who is the head of the world's smallest country and is also considered the leader of the Catholic Christian faith, that is, the Pope. The Pope is regarded as having the most unique and special status. Pope Francis has travelled to more than 50 countries where no visa was required. The Pope generally does not need a visa in most countries of the world. As the head of Vatican City, he is an internationally recognized diplomatic figure. He often holds a diplomatic passport or special status under which he can travel without a visa. The Pope holds a diplomatic passport from the Vatican, which allows him visa-free travel to most countries. When the Pope makes an official visit to a country, the host country usually grants him special exemptions. There may be formalities in some countries for special security or political reasons, but generally, visas are not required for the Pope. Wherever he goes, he is a state guest. The Pope is the head sovereign of Vatican City as well as the spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics. His status is distinct from any other king or diplomat, as the Vatican is a religious and diplomatic entity that has full sovereignty under international law. When the Pope visits a country, he is granted the status of a state guest, under which visa and passport regulations do not apply. The Lateran Treaty (1929) between Italy and the Vatican granted the Vatican the status of an independent state, which provided the Pope with full diplomatic immunity. The Vienna Convention (1961) also recognizes the Pope's special status under international treaties. Countries like China and Russia have sometimes placed political conditions on papal visits, but technically visas are not required. The British monarchy does not have this privilege either. The British monarchy is one of the most prestigious diplomatic institutions in the world, but their status is not as special as that of the Pope. The Pope's status is both religious and diplomatic. The Pope is recognized as a religious leader in any country. The Pope has the facility to travel around the world. He does this using his private plane 'Shepherd One.' Although this is not a special or permanent aircraft, the plane that the Pope uses for international travel is referred to as Shepherd One. The name 'Shepherd One' is inspired by the Pope's role, as the Pope is considered the 'Shepherd of God's flock' in the Catholic Church. Shepherd One is usually provided by Alitalia (Italy's national airline) or the main airline of the host country. This aircraft is generally a Boeing 787, Airbus A330, or similar large, long-haul aircraft, specifically configured for the Pope's travels.
The National
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
Blessed by the Pope: When The National travelled on papal plane ‘Shepherd One' with Pope Francis
What was he like? This is the question I'm always asked years after I met Pope Francis, shook his hand and asked him to bless rosary prayer beads for my Catholic friends and family. It was the second-ever trip to the Gulf by the head of the Roman Catholic Church and I was covering the Pope's four-day visit to Bahrain in November 2022 for The National. There was a calmness about Pope Francis, an air of serenity around him and a sense that he was always fully present in the moment as he greeted each one of the more than 60 journalists on board the plane from Rome to Bahrain. We were on board Shepherd One, the name the Italian media gave to chartered planes the Pope flew on when visiting countries. The pontiff, then 85, was brought on board in a wheelchair and walked slowly to the back of plane leaning on a cane to meet the press after we took off from Rome's Fiumicino Airport. There was a polite scrummage – we were, after all, in the presence of the Pope – to get the best first shots of the leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics then recovering from a knee ailment. Speaking in Italian, translated by his aides, Pope Francis made it clear he had time to meet all media on board. It was the first time on a papal flight for me and my colleague Amy McConaghy, The National's multimedia producer, and we thought it was the start of a press conference. We soon realised as per protocol, this was an informal meeting with the media on the Rome-Manama journey and he would take formal questions on the return to Italy. On past flights, the Pope usually walked around but this time he sat in the front and patiently spent time asking each person where they were from and the media group they represented. As journalists we are used to thrusting microphones in front of world leaders and wildly scribbling notes, not standing in a queue to say hello. But this journey was different – veteran journalists, who travelled more than 100 times with the first non-European Pope and extensively covered his predecessors John Paul II and Benedict XVI, said the experience never got old. We watched as journalists queued up to bless books, paintings, mementoes, asked him to say a prayer for ailing relatives. I fished out a box of rosaries I had bought in Rome as I knew it would mean the world to my friends to have the Pope bless this. He did so with a warm smile after asking who it was for and where I was from. It's been three years since that trip and the photographs capture distinctive memories of Pope Francis's gold, blue and red insignia embroidered on the headrest flaps. His aides told us that a portrait of Mary is placed in the front where the Pope is seated and accompanied him on all his journeys. It was an experience I cherish – that's my answer to the question I've been asked. I remember kind eyes, a firm handshake, an overall sense of peace and the measured tones in which the late Pope Francis answered every question. The video The National produced about the papal flight went viral with people from Calgary to Chennai asking if they could have the rosary beads. One message remains with me as it mirrors his title as the 'People's Pope.' 'I remember your meeting with our beloved Papa Francis,' said one reader. 'I feel I've learnt so much from him during his papacy just by the way he lived his life.' The papal flight was the start of The National's extensive coverage. As media we were close at hand to record him kiss babies lifted up to the Popemobile in packed stadiums and touch the hands of cancer survivors overjoyed to watch him lead the Mass. We saw first-hand his unflagging energy despite a painful knee that kept him in a wheelchair. His schedule ran the press to the ground from 8am stretching past 9pm daily. But behind his smile and calm, there was a clear resolve to reiterate his message of interfaith dialogue and for the urgent need to extend a hand of friendship to strangers, new neighbours and migrants – words that will remain relevant well after his death on Monday. There was a genuineness in the connection he had with people who lined up for hours to greet him and called him, 'My Pope.' Over those long hours, the Pope drew energy from his meetings with excited schoolchildren. 'Dear young people, we need you. We need your creativity, your dreams and your courage, your charm and your smiles, your contagious joy and that touch of craziness that you can bring to every situation, which helps to break us out of our stale habits and ways of looking at things,' he said. 'As Pope, I want to tell you: never lose the courage to dream big and to live life to the full.' And as promised, on the flight back to Rome, we had an in-flight press conference where the Pope gave a fascinating insight into the making of the Document of Human Fraternity signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019. He shared how when sharing lunch with Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, a divine force guided him to write the document that aims to open a path of harmony between all faiths. 'It emerged during a friendly lunch and that is a big thing,' he said. 'It seems right that you know how the Lord inspired this path … You can't understand it otherwise, because none of us had this in mind. It was something that came from God.'
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mass held for 'pope for the people,' Pope Francis, at St. Mary's Basilica in Phoenix
Jeff Scoby was among the faithful gathered the evening of April 22 to pray over the soul of Pope Francis as the day's last sun rays shone through the stained glass windows of St. Mary's Basilica in downtown Phoenix. There was something different about this pope, the 53-year-old Phoenix resident observed. The 88-year-old pontiff died April 21, just hours after Easter Sunday, following a stroke and irreversible heart failure, the Vatican said. "He was sort of a pope for the people. He seemed to be a humble man," Scoby said as he stood just outside the doors to the basilica. Pope Francis lived out his humility even in his last moments. The Vatican said he died at Casa Santa Marta, a guest house he took up residence at throughout his papacy after shunning the official pontiff residence at the Apostolic Palace. A soft aroma of incense permeated St. Mary's, whose walls still displayed Easter lilies from Holy Week. People, mostly clad in black, marshalled quietly into the church ahead of the requiem. This Mass for the departed was punctuated by the tolling of bells right before its beginning and followed by the church's organ playing with Cantor Carlos Elias Barraza Treviño breaking into song. A baby's yell echoed across as attendees awaited the Rev. John Muir's homily. St. Mary's pastor noted how the pope often looked solemn when in the company of the powerful and wealthy during his 12-year pontificate. "The happier he was usually meant he was with people who the world had forgotten," Muir said, pointing to Pope Francis's outreach to migrants and the homeless. Muir referenced a July 2013 moment in which the pope addressed a hotly debated issue within the Catholic faith. "We all remember when he said in his famous airplane interviews, 'Who am I to judge?'" Muir said. "It was just an authentic cry of the heart of this man, this shepherd. It was a doorway into mercy, especially for those who felt far from the church." The pontiff's response to the press aboard his aircraft, Shepherd One, related to the sexual orientation of gay priests while taking into account their Christian devotion. Muir also recalled to mourners a scene from March 27, 2020, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Pope Francis is standing alone in a rainy, dark St. Peter's Square, totally empty, except for himself and maybe the cameraman," Muir said. "A kind of active, silent benediction over the whole world, which was so wrapped in fear. "He added of the imagery, "It just said, even in the midst of the storm, 'God is with us, have hope.'" Walking up the steps to the basilica, 44-year-old Phoenix resident Adriana Rangel said she was there to 'give thanks to God for all the legacy that he left us. Obviously, for all of us who are Catholic, it hurts.' The requiem drew 700 people to the church, said Brett Meister, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. The 20-minute prayer service from the day before brought out an estimated 200 to the historic church on Third and Monroe streets, he added. Leadership from different Christian denominations, including from the Episcopal, Lutheran and Methodist faiths, were on hand for the requiem. "I'm here in particular to show my appreciation for his important legacy of advocating for the rights of the marginalized," said United Methodist Rev. Rachel Gilmore, 43, as she briskly walked into the church. Muir himself was approached by a rabbi at the church as the Jewish faith leader wept over the loss of Pope Francis. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Argentine was the first Latin American and the first Jesuit to lead the Holy Roman Catholic Church. He was elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013. The late pontiff succeeded Pope Benedict XVI. Citing his mental and physical strength, Pope Benedict surprised the world by resigning — the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years. Pope Emeritus Benedict died Dec. 31, 2022, at 95. Pope Francis has been in repose at St. Peter's Basilica since the day of his death. He will be interred April 26 at Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major in a tomb simply marked "Franciscus" as he had requested, This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pope Francis requiem held at St. Mary's Basilica in downtown Phoenix
CBS News
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Looking back at Pope Francis' visit to Pennsylvania in 2015. The Pittsburghers who made the journey to see the pontiff.
As the Roman Catholic faithful in Pittsburgh mourn Pope Francis, many are remembering the pontiff's visit to the United States in 2015. It was during that visit that Pope Francis made a stop across the state in Philadelphia to celebrate Mass and visit with the faithful. His plane, Shepherd One, touched down on Sept. 26, 2015. Thousands of people lined the streets, including Pittsburghers who flocked to the other side of the state, hoping to get a glimpse of the Holy Father. KDKA's David Highfield was sent to cover the visit and keep up with the locals who made the journey. He even had his picture taken with the Popemobile in the background. Pope Francis died Easter Monday at the age of 88 , the Vatican announced. Here's a look back at some of the Pittsburghers who interacted with Pope Francis during that 2015 visit. The then-15-year-old Jackie Evancho , who found fame on "America's Got Talent" as a child, was asked to sing for Pope Francis during his visit. Her performance included "When You Wish Upon a Star," "Can't You Feel the Love Tonight," and "Ava Maria." The list of other performers for the pope's visit to Philadelphia was impressive. It included actor Mark Wahlberg, comedian Jim Gaffigan, Sister Sledge and the late Aretha Franklin. "I never even dreamt of seeing the pope, so I think it's going to be really cool," Evancho said in 2015. During his visit, Pope Francis presided over Mass at an altar set up at the steps of the tall-columned Philadelphia Museum of Art. "He's just amazing," said Fr. Terry O'Connor in 2015. "To be in his presence, you just want to like -- you don't know what do. I was moved to tears and I can just see the presence of Christ in him. So, it was just such a blessed trip for me to be here." Fr. O'Connor is the son of late Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor. He was one of hundreds of priests who had the honor of assisting Pope Francis with the Mass. "Just the energy, even though he's 78-years-old, it seems like he's untiring," Joe Kaufman, of Ross Township, said. A group of local Catholics took the spirit of Pittsburgh with them on their journey to Philadelphia. The group wore "Francis No. 1" jerseys, and even waved "Terribly Faithful Towels." "So, the Terribly Faithful Towels? How about that? All the people from Pittsburgh will be waving this and we'll have to let the pope know exactly what this all means," Bishop Zubik said. Couple Joe and Kristen Masciantonio were moved to tears when Pope Francis kissed their daughter, Gianna, who was a baby in 2015. She and her family live in the Philadelphia area, but they are originally from Pittsburgh. Gianna was diagnosed with a rare inoperable brain tumor shortly after her birth. While the pope was riding around Philadelphia in the Popemobile on his way to Independence Hall, one of his guards plucked Gianna from the crowd and took her to the pontiff. Pope Francis gave Gianna a kiss on the back of her head, where her tumor is located. "I held her over the fence as far as I could and that's when the Swiss Guard or Secret Service guard grabbed her and took her over and the pope kissed her and blessed her," Joey Masciantonio, Gianna's father, told our sister station KYW . "I cried like a baby," said Gianna's grandfather, Joe Masciantonio, of Aliquippa. "That's all I can say. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Gianna is now a pre-teen. She has systemic JXG, or juvenile xanthogranuloma, a blood condition that caused a lesion on her brainstem, the Bucks County Herald reports. Last week, a fundraiser was held for the family's For the Love of Grace Foundation. Bishop Zubik was in the crowd on the South Lawn of the White House for Pope Francis' visit. "You can just feel the electricity mounting as people are so excited to not only catch a glimpse of the Holy Father, but to hear his first message since he arrived in our country," Bishop Zubik said. "It's unbelievable. The pope's going to say what is on his mind. One of the things we very clearly see is that when he wants to speak the truth he's not going to be afraid to say it, but he says it in a way that is very respectful of everybody." Joining Bishop Zubik in Washington DC was former Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto. He posted a picture to Twitter from the White House lawn of himself and Bishop Zubik. Peduto and his chief-of-staff Kevin Acklin were among the 18,000 people who attended the ceremony at the White House.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The quiet hope of Pope Francis
In the 12 years since Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Pope Francis on March 13, 2013, we've witnessed a rapid expansion of LGBTQ rights around the world. The pope's death Monday is a reminder of the surprising ways his papacy was part of that wave of acceptance. Francis set the tone early in his appointment, during an in-flight press conference aboard the jet nicknamed Shepherd One en route from Rio de Janeiro to Rome in July of 2013. When a reporter posed a question about gay priests, the newly appointed pope quipped: 'If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?' With that simple statement — 'Who am I to judge?' — the pope laid the foundation for his compassionate approach and inclusion of the LGBTQ community. Indeed, the late pope's nonjudgemental approach to LGBTQ issues did not go far enough for many LGBTQ advocates. But it's important to judge his legacy in the context of the Catholic Church, and to recognize how remarkable his approach was given the institutional norms that for decades suppressed and ignored LGBTQ devotees. The size of the LGBTQ population in the United States has grown from 3.5% in 2012 to 9.3% in 2024, according to Gallup. A spokesperson from the polling firm told me that 5.6% of Christians in the United States today identify as LGBTQ. More and more LGBTQ Christians continue to come out and find a home in the body of Christ. I believe Pope Francis had some impact on those changes. For many LGBTQ Christians like myself, the changes Francis championed feel personal. I've experienced both the sting of exclusion and the quiet hope that, perhaps one day, church pews will be filled with all those who long to find God's love, regardless of whom they love. I've witnessed Catholic LGBTQ friends endure so much harm from the church hierarchy. Francis' change of posture toward the community let light shine in the darkness. I've seen the hope Pope Francis has given to LGBTQ Catholics in particular. One of my best friends from college come out as a lesbian and yet maintain her Catholic faith in the midst of much hate. There's been so much positive change toward LGBTQ equality since we started college together in 2008; I was even able to officiate her wedding in 2022. While worshipping with her on multiple occasions for Catholic mass, I've given thanks to God for the many LGBTQ Catholics who have stayed committed to their faith. The Vatican did back up the merciful media soundbites reverberating around the world with some substantive policy changes, including allowing transgender people to be baptized and serve as godparents, and allowing priests to offer blessings of same-sex couples. These changes did not amount to full equality, but they were meaningful progress toward recognizing the God-given dignity of LGBTQ people. The pope also elevated a number of LGBTQ-friendly leaders to positions of greater authority in the U.S. Catholic hierarchy. 'Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,' Francis said in a 2020 documentary. 'You can't kick someone out of a family, nor make their life miserable for this. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.' In addition to statements to the press and policy change, Francis brought hope by meeting with and writing in support of LGBTQ-inclusive Catholic ministries. 'I pray for your faithful, your 'flock,' and all those whom the Lord places in your care, so that you protect them, and make them grow in the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ,' the pope wrote to the Rev. James Martin, the most prominent Catholic advocate of LGBTQ rights in the United States. This past October, Francis met with a group of transgender and intersex Catholics. The nearly 90-minute meeting, organized by New Ways Ministries, included a doctor who provides gender-affirming care. 'It is only by listening to stories of these individuals, as well as the individuals who care for and about them, that the Church will be able to fully hear the voice of the Holy Spirit calling the Catholic community to break out of old, ill-informed teachings and practices,' said the organizer of the meeting Sister Jeannine Gramick. Francis' plea for mercy for the vulnerable, whether LGBTQ people or migrants, is both remarkable — and basic Christianity. In many ways it's a sad reflection of what we expect of Christian leaders to find Pope Francis so revolutionary. The pope said that Christians should apologize for the Church's harm to LGBTQ people, though the harm outlives him. And we can acknowledge that Francis did not enact all the changes in doctrine that would honor LGBTQ dignity and fully repair the harm done by the Catholic Church to LGBTQ people. The pope envisioned the Church not as a fortress of judgment but a field hospital — an institution where wounds are acknowledged, and healing is offered with a generous dose of compassion. Pope Francis's legacy is a call — to look beyond our fears, to challenge our prejudices, and ultimately, to choose mercy over judgment. And for those of us who have long felt the pain of exclusion, that call offers a glimmer of hope that one day, we might finally be home. This article was originally published on
