The Solemnity of Ss Peter and Paul, Apostles
29 June 2005

"I shall summon my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I shall dress him in your tunic, I shall invest him with your authority; and he will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the House of Judah. I shall place the key of David's palace on his shoulder; when he opens, no one will close, when he closes, no one will open." (Isaiah 22:20-22).

"You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:12-19).

"Simon, Simon! Look, Satan has got his wish to sift you all like wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, and once you have recovered, you in your turn must strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:31-32).

"As was already clear from the First Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops, and was reaffirmed in the latest Synod, there is need for acknowledgement of the common roots linking Christianity and the Jewish people, who are called by God to a covenant which remains irrevocable (cf Romans 11:29) and has attained definitive fullness in Christ." (Pope John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Europa, 28 June 2003).

BISHOP OF ROME

VICAR OF JESUS CHRIST

Successor of St Peter, Prince of the Apostles,
Supreme Pastor of the Universal Church,
Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province,
Sovereign of the State of Vatican City.

His Holiness BENEDICT XVI, SOVEREIGN PONTIFF, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Church Universal, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God: (Joseph Alois Ratzinger), Dean of the College of Cardinals with the Papal Assent of His late Holiness Pope John Paul II given 30 November 2002, Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals with Papal Assent of the same Supreme Pontiff given 6 November 1998, Bishop of the Suburbicarian Title of Velletri-Segni 5 April 1993, created by His late Holiness Pope Paul VI 27 June 1977 with the Presbyteral Title of Saint Mary of Saint Maria of Consolation in regione Tiburtina, surrendered upon advancement to the Order of Bishops by His late Holiness Pope John Paul II, b at Marktl am Inn, Diocese of Passau (Germany) 16 April 1927, ordained 29 June 1951, formerly Archbishop of Munich and Freising 24 March 1977, consecrated 28 May 1977, resigned that Metropolitan See 25 November 1981, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, President of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and of the International Biblical Commission; Elected Supreme Pontiff 19 April 2005; Solemnly enthroned as Universal Shepherd of the Church 24 April 2005.

Blazon of arms: Chapé-ployé: 1. Or a blackamooor's head couped at the neck sable, crowned and collared with lips gules and an earring of the field (Munchen-Friesing); 2. Or a bear trippant bendwise sable langued bearing on its back a pack gules bound of the second; 3. Gules an escallop or.

HEBREW

ARABIC