Vatican City, May 3, 2005 / 22:00 pm
In his efforts to make events at the Vatican less “Pope-centered”, Pope Benedict XVI has decided that he will not preside at beatifications, reported the Honolulu Advertiser.
In effect, the Vatican is returning to the tradition of having cardinals—not the Pope—preside over beatifications.
The news came in relation to the beatification of American Mother Marianne Cope, which was rescheduled by the Vatican to May 15.
Sr. Mary Laurence Hanley of the New York-based Sisters of the Third Franciscan Order of Syracuse confirmed that the Pope would not preside over the beatification ceremony. About 40 people from Hawaii and 90 others from Syracuse will attend the beatification.