Benedict XVI: 10 things about the Pope's retirement

1. Name and title He will be known as Pope emeritus, or Roman pontiff emeritus, the Vatican has announced. He will also continue to be known by his papal title of Benedict XVI, rather than reverting to Joseph Ratzinger, and he will continue to be addressed as "Your Holiness" Benedict XVI - in the same way, for example, as US presidents continue to be referred to as "president" after leaving office. "Emeritus" is a Latin word meaning "retired", from the verb "emereri" - to earn one's discharge by service.

2. New home Benedict XVI has a new residence, a former convent known as Mater Ecclesiae in the south-west corner of Vatican City. Reports suggest Vatican gardeners will continue to cultivate a 500 sq m organic fruit and vegetable garden there. The Pope is said to enjoy marmalade made from its oranges. While Mater Ecclesiae was being refurbished he stayed in the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome.
3. His clothing The Pope emeritus will continue to wear papal white - rather than the black of an ordinary priest, or the red of a cardinal. However it will be a simple cassock, with none of the flamboyant hats and vestments he revived during his papacy (prompting the Wall Street Journal to ask "Does the Pope Wear Prada?") He will be giving up his trademark red shoes, wearing instead brown shoes handmade for him by Mexican craftsmen during a visit to the country last year.
4. His ring According to tradition, the papal apartments are sealed and the Pope's gold ring - known as the fisherman's ring - is smashed with a specially designed silver hammer when the Pope leaves office. "Objects strictly tied to the ministry of St Peter must be destroyed," the Vatican says. This time round, though, the insignia on Benedict XVI's ring was merely scratched with a cross so that it can be kept for posterity - perhaps in a museum.
5. His duties Benedict XVI will have no further administrative or official duties. He did not participate in the conclave to elect his successor.

6. Life in retirement Announcing his resignation, the Pope said he would spend his time praying for the Church. His elder brother, Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, has also said Benedict will be happy to advise his successor, if required. Writing and studying also seem likely to be on the agenda - Benedict had a library of 20,000 books installed in the papal apartments when he was elected in 2005. He also enjoys playing the piano and watching old black-and-white comedies - and he loves cats. At least one, Contessina, is known to live at Mater Ecclesiae.Contessina - already in residence at Mater Ecclesiae
 
7. Social media Benedict issued his final tweets before leaving the Vatican, saying goodbye to the 2.5 million followers he had gained since opening his account late last year. Pope Francis has been using the same Twitter account since his election.
8. Golden parachute Modest as Benedict XVI's retirement plans may be, as a bishop he will retain the Vatican's generous private healthcare policy and is likely to have recourse to the doctors who currently manage his medical treatment. It's possible he will continue to be cared for by the small group of German nuns who have looked after him during his papacy. As a pope has not retired for 600 years, there's no precedent for a papal pension plan, but Canon law requires each diocese to look after the welfare of retiring clerics. Rome will doubtless take good care of its Pope emeritus.

9. Georg Ganswein Benedict XVI's personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Ganswein - the photogenic face seen in the background of a million photographs - will stay in this post. However, he will also keep up his role as head of the papal household for Benedict's successor. He will be the servant of two masters.
10. Infallibility It's a widely held misconception the Pope is infallible in everything he says and does. In fact, the First Vatican Council of 1870 ruled a Pope's rulings are infallible only when they are made "ex-cathedra" - as part of a doctrinal statement about the Church. Benedict XVI never invoked this privilege (and in fact only one infallible statement has been made since 1870). With his resignation, he is no longer able to make ex-cathedra statements.

(Source:http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21585674)

 

Here are some facts about the city of Pompeii.

• Pompeii was an ancient city in southern Italy. The remains of the settlement are located near to Naples.
• The city of Pompeii was built at the foot of the volcano, Mount Vesuvius.
• Pompeii predates Roman rule. Historians think it was a settlement built by the Oscan civilization in about the 6th century BC. It was then controlled by the Samnites, before becoming a Roman city in about 80 BC.
• The city grew over the years and the original wooden buildings were slowly replaced with structures of brick and stone.
• During the first century AD,  Pompeii was developing into a flourishing city port. It was a prosperous resort for numerous wealthy visitors. It contained many Roman villas, an amphitheatre, two theatres, several temples and an aqueduct system.
• In 62 AD a severe earthquake did a significant amount of damage to Pompeii’s buildings. It took several years to rebuild the city after the damage and many of the residents relocated to other Roman cities.
• Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. The eruption buried the city under volcanic ashes and cinders and exposed the city’s 20,000 inhabitants to blasts of hot air with temperatures of up to 250 degrees C, easily hot enough to kill even those people who were sheltering inside stone buildings.
• Pliny the Younger, a Roman writer, witnessed the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, and his uncle, Pliny the Elder, lost his life trying to rescue the people of Pompeii.
• Volcanic ashes completely covered the city, preserving the buildings.

• People had forgotten that Pompeii even existed, and it lay buried under the ground for hundreds of years. In 1748 the excavation of Pompeii was begun and it archaeologists are still working on the site to this day.

• In 1863, Giuseppe Fiorelli realised that some of the voids and gaps in the layers of ash were left by the decomposed bodies of Pompeii’s inhabitants. He pumped plaster into the holes and produced accurate casts of the people of Pompeii. A similar process is carried out today, using resin instead of plaster.

• The eruption of Vesuvius was quite sudden, and many of Pompeii’s inhabitants lost their lives while going about their daily work.
• Pompeii was not the only city covered by volcanic ash as a result of the eruption of Mt Vesuvius. Herculaneum and Stabiae may not be as famous, but the ash and cinders preserved them too.
• Many of the buildings of Pompeii uncovered by archaeologists were in fantastically good condition and many of the walls were still covered with frescoes. Hundreds of well-preserved artifacts were also found.
• Pompeii is now a major tourist attraction. It is UNESCO World Heritage Site and it attracts more than 2 million visitors every year.

(Source:http://primaryfacts.com/1677/10-pompeii-facts/)

Here are 20 facts to know about Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or Pope Francis, who was elected Wednesday as Benedict XVI’s successor.

1.    He’s from Buenos Aires, making him the first pope from Latin America.

2.    That also makes him the first pope born outside of Europe in more than 1,000 years.

3.    He’s the first Jesuit pope.

4.    He is 76.

5.    He chose the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, a 13th-century monk known for his charity and kindness to animals.

6.    Before his election, he was the archbishop of Buenos Aires.

7.    He is known for leading a simple life, eschewing a mansion to live in a Spartan apartment.

8.    He rode mass transit in Argentina, and chose to take a minivan with the other cardinals after he was elected pope rather than ride in a special sedan.

9.    He cooks his own meals.

10.   In his youth, he enjoyed dancing the tango with a girlfriend before discovering a “religious vocation.”

11.    He trained as a chemist.

12.    He is one of five children and his parents were from Italy.

13.    He has been criticized for not speaking out against Argentina’s military dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s.

14.    He slammed other Latin American priests who objected to the baptizing of  children born out of wedlock.

15.    He was critical of Argentina’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage, calling it “a destructive attack on God’s plan.” He also opposes gay people’s adopting children.

16.    In 2001, he washed the feet of 12 patients with AIDS at an Argentine hospice.

17.    He speaks three languages: Spanish, Italian and German.

18.    He had a lung removed as a teenager, after an infection.

19.    He is rumored to have been the runner-up in 2005, losing that papal election to Benedict XVI.

20.    After being elected pope, he remained standing on the same level as the cardinal-electors rather than sitting in a throne.

Facts about Ukrainian that you probably wants to know:

1. Most words in the Ukrainian language starts with the letter “п”. The most frequently used letter of the Ukrainian alphabet – “о”. The letters “Ñ„” and “г” are used least often.

2. George Gershwin wrote one of the world’s most famous songs, “Summertime”, after being inspired by an old Ukrainian lullaby called “Sleep Is Tiptoeing About” performed by the Ukrainian National Chorus.

3. The third most visited McDonald’s in the world is located in Kiev, near the train station. This restaurant has always been in the top five most crowded McDonald’s in the world. Last year, it served 2.283.399 visitors.

4. Arsenalnaya Metro Station located in Kiev is the deepest in the world (105 meters). The station was built in 1960, very close to the House of Parliament. According to some reports, the tunnels near Arsenalnaya house secret shelters built specially for the political elite.
 
5. Ukrainians are the fifth most-drinking nation in the world. Only Moldavians, Russians, Hungarians and Czechs are ahead of them. An average Ukrainian older than 15 drinks 15.6 liters of alcohol a year (it’s a liter more than an Irishman and almost two liters more than a Norwegian).

6. The Ukrainian national anthem consists of only six lines (four in a verse and two in a chorus). The remaining verses of the anthem are considered politically incorrect. (“We’ll stand, brothers, in bloody battle, from the Syan to the Don” implies a claim to the territories of Russia and Poland).

7.In Europe, the police solve 30-40% of crimes, in Ukraine – 90%. This unnaturally good statistics is the result of the reluctance of the Ukrainian policemen to record “hopeless” cases (like thefts of mobile phones) and knock confessions out of suspects.

8. Ukraine has the world’s largest reserves of manganese ore – 2.3 billion tons or about 11% of all deposits of the world.

9. Ukrainians invented a plane with the largest freight-carrying capacity in the world – the An-225 “Mriya”. Originally, it was designed for spacecraft transportation. Now it specializes in freight haulage.

10.In 1710, Ukrainian Hetman Pylyp Orlyk introduced “Pacts and Constitutions of Rights and Freedoms of the Zaporizhian Host”, at that time a super-progressive document which meant to separate powers into three branches and regulate the rights and responsibilities of the government and citizens. Some researchers believe that this document is one of the world’s first constitutions.

 (Source:http://englishrussia.com/2011/09/08/20-little-known-facts-about-ukraine/)

Russia is famous because it was the most powerful country in the Soviet Union (USSR). It is also famous for the production and consumption of the famous vodka. Moscow and St Petersburg are some of the most popular tourist destinations that make Russia more famous. Russia is famous for its glamorous female bodyguard, Anna Loginova. Unfortunately, she died in a car accident. She was highly respected for her bodyguard skills.

There are many famous people from Andorra. This includes, Oscar Sonejee, Marta Roure, Stephanie Jimenez and Albert Pintat. Andorra is famous for having their capital city setting in the highest location in Europe, beautiful area and the tourism.

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There are things that maybe you don't know about Vatican:

1. Vatican City is the smallest country in the world.

Encircled by a 2-mile border with Italy, Vatican City is an independent city-state that covers just over 100 acres, making it one-eighth the size of New York’s Central Park. Vatican City is governed as an absolute monarchy with the pope at its head. The Vatican mints its own euros, prints its own stamps, issues passports and license plates, operates media outlets and has its own flag and anthem. One government function it lacks: taxation. Museum admission fees, stamp and souvenir sales, and contributions generate the Vatican’s revenue.

2. St. Peter’s Basilica sits atop a city of the dead, including its namesake’s tomb.

A Roman necropolis stood on Vatican Hill in pagan times. When a great fire leveled much of Rome in A.D. 64, Emperor Nero, seeking to shift blame from himself, accused the Christians of starting the blaze. He executed them by burning them at the stake, tearing them apart with wild beasts and crucifying them. Among those crucified was St. Peter—disciple of Jesus Christ, leader of the Apostles and the first bishop of Rome—who was supposedly buried in a shallow grave on Vatican Hill. By the fourth century and official recognition of the Christian religion in Rome, Emperor Constantine began construction of the original basilica atop the ancient burial ground with what was believed to be the tomb of St. Peter at its center. The present basilica, built starting in the 1500s, sits over a maze of catacombs and St. Peter’s suspected grave.
3. Caligula captured the obelisk that stands in St. Peter’s Square.

Roman Emperor Caligula built a small circus in his mother’s gardens at the base of Vatican Hill where charioteers trained and where Nero is thought to have martyred the Christians. To crown the center of the amphitheater, Caligula had his forces transport from Egypt a pylon that had originally stood in Heliopolis. The obelisk, made of a single piece of red granite weighing more than 350 tons, was erected for an Egyptian pharaoh more than 3,000 years ago. In 1586 it was moved to its present location in St. Peter’s Square, where it does double duty as a giant sundial.

4. For nearly 60 years in the 1800s and 1900s, popes refused to leave the Vatican.

Popes ruled over a collection of sovereign Papal States throughout central Italy until the country was unified in 1870. The new secular government had seized all the land of the Papal States with the exception of the small patch of the Vatican, and a cold war of sorts then broke out between the church and the Italian government. Popes refused to recognize the authority of the Kingdom of Italy, and the Vatican remained beyond Italian national control. Pope Pius IX proclaimed himself a “prisoner of the Vatican,” and for almost 60 years popes refused to leave the Vatican and submit to the authority of the Italian government. When Italian troops were present in St. Peter’s Square, popes even refused to give blessings or appear from the balcony overlooking the public space.

5. Benito Mussolini signed Vatican City into existence.

The dispute between the Italian government and the Catholic Church ended in 1929 with the signing of the Lateran Pacts, which allowed the Vatican to exist as its own sovereign state and compensated the church $92 million (more than $1 billion in today’s money) for the Papal States. The Vatican used the payment as seed money to re-grow its coffers. Mussolini, the head of the Italian government, signed the treaty on behalf of King Victor Emmanuel III.

6. Popes did not live at the Vatican until the 14th century.

Even after the construction of the original St. Peter’s Basilica, popes lived principally at the Lateran Palace across Rome. They even left the city altogether in 1309 when the papal court moved to Avignon, France, after King Philip IV arranged for a French cardinal to be elected pope. Seven popes, all French, ruled from Avignon, and the papacy did not return to Rome until 1377, by which time the Lateran Palace had burned and the Vatican started to be used as a papal residence. Much repair work needed to be done, however, because the Vatican had fallen into such disrepair that wolves dug for bodies in the cemetery and cows even wandered the basilica.
7. The Swiss Guard was hired as a mercenary force.

The Swiss Guard, recognizable by its armor and colorful Renaissance-era uniforms, has been protecting the pontiff since 1506. That’s when Pope Julius II, following in the footsteps of many European courts of the time, hired one of the Swiss mercenary forces for his personal protection. The Swiss Guard’s role in Vatican City is strictly to protect the safety of the pope. Although the world’s smallest standing army appears to be strictly ceremonial, its soldiers are extensively trained and highly skilled marksmen. And, yes, the force is entirely comprised of Swiss citizens.

8. At several times during the Vatican’s history, popes escaped through a secret passageway.

In 1277, a half-mile-long elevated covered passageway, the Passetto di Borgo, was constructed to link the Vatican with the fortified Castel Sant’Angelo on the banks of the Tiber River. It served as an escape route for popes, most notably in 1527 when it likely saved the life of Pope Clement VII during the sack of Rome. As the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V rampaged through the city and murdered priests and nuns, the Swiss Guard held back the enemy long enough to allow Clement to safely reach the Castel Sant’Angelo, although 147 of the pope’s forces lost their lives in the battle.

9. The majority of Vatican City’s 600 citizens live abroad.

As of 2011, the number of people with Vatican citizenship totaled 594. That number included 71 cardinals, 109 members of the Swiss Guard, 51 members of the clergy and one nun inside the Vatican walls. The largest group of citizens, however, was the 307 members of the clergy in diplomatic positions around the world. With Benedict XVI residing as a pope emeritus in the Vatican, the population will increase by one when a new pope is named.

10. The Vatican Observatory owns a telescope in Arizona.

As Rome expanded, light pollution from the city made it increasingly difficult for astronomers at the Vatican Observatory—located 15 miles from the city at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo—to view the night skies, so in 1981 the observatory opened a second research center in Tucson, Arizona. The Vatican conducts astronomical research with a state-of-the-art telescope that sits atop Mount Graham in southeast Arizona.
(Source:http://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-vatican)

Luxembourg is a tiny insignificant country that is famous for its banking services since there are 156 banks from 25 countries that are currently operating there. Luxembourg is also famous for its outstanding barbecues and wines.

Sweden is famous for its 20th century culture, which pioneered works in the early days of cinema. The country is also known for its ice hockey team, Trae Kronor, which has won the World championship eight times, placing it third in the world in medal count.

Spain is famous for it's bullfighting and paella. It is also well known for its famous art painters Goya and Picasso. The Prado Museum in Madrid and world class soccer teams such as Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, have added to its fame.The Spain has an extraordinary artistic heritage. Toledo based artists El Greco and Diego Vel?zquez were the dominant figures of the Golden Age. Francisco de Goya emerged in the 18th Century as Spain's most prolific painter and he produced some wonderfully unflattering portraits of royalty.

Portugal is famous for its delicious pastries. These beloved pastries are usually custard filled. On top of the decadence is powdered sugar and cinnamon. Portugal is also known for its espresso coffee.There have been some football players that came from Portugal: Figo, Ronaldo and Pauleta. Ceramics are also made in Portugal.

The Dome of the Rock is a Muslim shrine that was built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in AD 691. The Dome of the Rock is part of a larger Muslim holy area that takes up a significant portion of what is also known as Mount Moriah in the heart of Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock gets its name from the fact that it is built over the highest part (the dome) of Mount Moriah which is where Jews and Christians believe Abraham was prepared to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God (Genesis 22:1–14).

It is also considered to be the location of the threshing floor of Araunah, the Jebusite, where David built an altar to the Lord (2 Samuel 24:18). It is also on or very near the site that Herod’s Temple stood before it was destroyed in AD 70 by the Roman army. Some even believe the rock might have been the location of the Holy of Holies that was a part of the Jewish Temple where the Jewish High Priest would enter once a year to make atonement for Israel’s sins.

The Dome of the Rock is part of the larger Islamic area known as the Noble Sanctuary or Al-Haram al-Sharif. This area includes over 35 acres and contains both the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. After Muslims took control of Jerusalem in AD 637, Islamic leaders commissioned the building of the Dome of the Rock in AD 685. It took almost seven years to complete and today is one of the world’s oldest Islamic structures.

The platform or Temple Mount area that houses the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque was built in the first century AD under the rule of Herod the Great as part of his rebuilding of the second Jewish Temple. Jesus worshiped at Herod’s Temple and it was there that He prophesied its destruction (Matthew 24:1–2). Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled when the temple was destroyed by the Roman army in AD 70.

The Temple Mount area where the Dome of the Rock is located is important to not only the Muslims who control it now, but also to Jews and Christians. As the place where the Jewish temple once stood, the Temple Mount is considered to be the holiest place in Judaism and is the place where Jews and some Christians believe that the third and final temple will be built. This area is also the third holiest site in Islam. Because of its importance to both Jews and Muslims, the Temple Mount area is a highly contested religious site over which both the Palestinian Authority and Israel claim sovereignty.

The Dome of the Rock is an impressive structure, easily seen in many photographs of Jerusalem. Not only is it on top of Mount Moriah, but it was also built on an elevated platform raising it up another 16 feet above the rest of the Temple Mount area. Inside at the center of the Dome is the highest point of Mount Moriah. This bare rock measures about 60 feet by 40 feet and rises about 6 feet from the floor of the shrine. While many people mistakenly refer to the Dome of Rock as a mosque, it was actually built as a shrine for pilgrims, although it is located near an important Muslim mosque.

Some believe the Dome of the Rock was built because, according to Muslim legend, the Prophet Muhammad was taken to Mount Moriah by the angel Gabriel, and from there Muhammad ascended into heaven and met all the prophets that had preceded him, as well as seeing God sitting on His throne surrounded by angels. However, this story does not appear in any Islamic texts until several decades after the shrine was built, which leads some to believe the primary reason the Dome was built was to celebrate the Islamic victory over Christians at Jerusalem and not to honor the supposed ascension of Muhammad.

When Israel took control over that part of Jerusalem after the Six-Day War in 1967, Israeli leaders allowed an Islamic religious trust to have authority over the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock as a way of helping keep the peace. Since that time non-Muslims have been allowed limited access to the area but are not permitted to pray on the Temple Mount.

1861, the French occultist Eliphas Levi included in his book Dogmes et Rituels de la Haute Magie (Dogmas and Rituals of High Magic). In the preface of his book, Levi stated:

“The goat on the frontispiece carries the sign of the pentagram on the forehead, with one point at the top, a symbol of light, his two hands forming the sign of Hermeticism, the one pointing up to the white moon of Chesed, the other pointing down to the black one of Geburah. This sign expresses the perfect harmony of mercy with justice. His one arm is female, the other male like the ones of the androgyn of Khunrath, the attributes of which we had to unite with those of our goat because he is one and the same symbol. The flame of intelligence shining between his horns is the magic light of the universal balance, the image of the soul elevated above matter, as the flame, whilst being tied to matter, shines above it. The ugly beast’s head expresses the horror of the sinner, whose materially acting, solely responsible part has to bear the punishment exclusively; because the soul is insensitive according to its nature and can only suffer when it materializes. The rod standing instead of genitals symbolizes eternal life, the body covered with scales the water, the semi-circle above it the atmosphere, the feathers following above the volatile. Humanity is represented by the two breasts and the androgyn arms of this sphinx of the occult sciences.”

(Source:http://vigilantcitizen.com/hidden-knowledge/whoisbaphomet/)

and you may want to see this video that will help you to get more information about this Symbol and its history

Norway is famous for the Vikings who discovered America long before Colombus. It is also the home of the 1920 winner of Nobel Prize for Literature, Knut Hamsen as well as the acclaimed composer Edvard Grieg. Additionally, Oslo, Norway's capital was the first to host the Winter Olympic Games.

Products:

• Telemark skiing – a technique used in downhill skiing
• The cheese slicer – 
• The paper clip – 
• Helly Hansen outdoor clothing - originally started in Moss, Norway
• Salmon – Norwegian salmon is farmed and shipped all over the world
• Open sandwiches – less carbs but tricky to eat… 
• Oil – Norway is the 3rd largest exporter of oil in the world – 

People:

• Edvard Grieg – Composer (1843-1907)
• Roald Amundsen – Led the first Antartic expedition to the South Pole explorer (1872-1928)
• Roald Dahl – (Norwegian-British) Author (1916-1990)
• Thor Heyerdahl – Explorer and Archeologist (1914-2002)
• Henrik Ibsen - wrote the play Peer Gynt
• Edvard Munch – Expressionist painter – painted The Scream (1863-1944)
• Vikings - these Norsemen used their longships to explore new countries (including England)

Events:

• Winter Olympics – were first held in Oslo in 1952
• Nobel Peace Prize - is presented anually in Oslo
• Host of Eurovision 2010

Places:

• Fjords – Monty Python’s dead parrot pined for them.  They are awesome.
• North Norway – made famous in the UK by Joanna Lumley when she saw the Northern Lights

Music:

• a-ha – Famous Norwegian band from the 80′s  (don’t ever say that they are Swedish!)
• Alexander Rybak - winner of the 2009 Eurovision with Fairytales

Switzerland is famous for many things, such as it's cheeses, chocolates, and watches. It's also famous for it's beautiful mountains, such as the Alps.

Netherlands is located in Western Europe with its capital city in Amsterdam. The Netherlands are famous for a of things, and they attract millions of tourists each year. Some of the things they are best known for are tulips, clogs, coffee, and cheese.