.- Pope Benedict XVI received replicas of the six most significant churches of his life to mark the 60th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. The day will be celebrated on June 29, the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.
The nine-foot-tall replicas were built by members of the Equestrian Union of Upper Bavaria. They are of the Cathedrals of Munich and Freising, and the churches of Altotting, Birkenstein, Aschau and St. Georg von Traunstein and Bad Tolz.
Pope Benedict XVI was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1951, together with his brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger, at the Cathedral of Freising.
The miniature replicas were transported to the Vatican by 42 horses from his native homeland of Bavaria, Germany.
Nearly 200 musicians and 50 residents of Bavaria were on hand to present the replicas to the Pope. They left Munich on June 5 after receiving a blessing from Cardinal Reinhard Marx and attended the Regina Coeli at St. Peter’s Square on June 12.
