Pope Benedict XVI's life, from his birth in Germany to his election as pontiff, is described through the eyes of Chico the cat in a new children's book.
The narrating voice is based on a red tabby cat that lives in Pentling, a German town where the pope, then Joseph Ratzinger, lived until he moved to Rome in 1981. The cat belonged to a family that lived next door to the pope.
The pope is "my dearest friend, a wonderful man with whom I've spent many happy moments," the cat said in the book "Joseph and Chico: A cat recounts the life of Pope Benedict XVI."
Through the cat's voice and many illustrations, the 44-page book recounts Benedict's childhood, his passion for reading and playing the piano. It depicts his early steps in the Catholic Church, from when he entered a seminary in 1939 to his ordination as priest in 1951.
The book also has reference to the Nazi era, when Ratzinger enrolled in the Hitler Youth as a teenager.
"In that period, Joseph was forced to do something that absolutely went against his will: enroll in the Army and leave for war," says the book.
The pope eventually deserted without seeing combat and was taken prisoner by American forces, to be released after several weeks. |
