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Teresa, du Papa Ratzinger Forum, a eu la gentillesse de traduire mon texte en anglais. Je ne suis pas sûre qu'il le mérite, en tout cas, cela me touche beaucoup...
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(Traduction Teresa)
MONDAY, JULY 23
It must have been around 6:40 p.m. A motorcyclist came down the main street followed by three black 4x4s. People started screaming in excitement, although there are not too many around because they weren't really expecting it at this time.
As the motorcade reached the town square, where I was, it slowed down to pedestrian pace, and without thinking I walked along. When I saw that the Holy Father rolled down the window and held out his hand - the one with the ring - I placed my hand on it. It felt soft and cool (unlike mine, I'm afraid to say).
I had the impression it lasted quite a while. Well, at least two seconds. I looked at him (not as I would have wanted to, obviously), seated back - and I saw a beautiful face, very delicate, quite unlike the photos we know so well. And - it could have been the effect of the contrast between the blinding brightness on the street and the shaded interior of the car - my impression was less of 'goodness' (which was, of course, perceptible) but of a penetrating subtlety and extreme refinement. I didn't have time to look at his eyes!
Then, other people were pressing in, there was the crackle of camera flashes, more people - and then, the security men who had allowed me to come near without objection, started signalling us to back off, and then they jumped back inside one of the 4x4s, and the convoy went ahead and picked up speed in the direction of Castello
Mirabello, not too far away.
What can I say to justify the emotion I felt, the sensation that time had expanded, of forgetting everything else around me, that feeling even of being out of myself? I know some will smile indulgently, thinking it's silly to idealize someone, even if he is the Pope, and that after all is said and done, it was just a banal encounter.
But there are those who will understand why that's not at all what it is. Not for me, in any case!
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U N E R É A C T I O N Toujours sur le Papa Ratzinger Forum, je lis cette réaction, que je ressens comme un témoignage de grande affection pour Lui:
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Oh but we DO understand!
How marvellous, wonderful, beyond words your description of touching Papa's hand, looking at his face.....no, nothing about him is ever banal. [..]
"Subtlety, refinement" - yes, these are qualities I too have seen on his face and there is so much more, depending on the occasion: goodness, holiness, serenity, prayerfulness, joy, surprise, enthusiasm, sadness....I could go on and on.
Those of us who have seen him have seen some of these qualities and when we look at photos we can see them all, too...
(Maryjos, Papa Ratzinger Forum)
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