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Mild Earthquake Strikes Castel Gandolfo, Pope Emeritus’ Home, Just Days After He Arrives: Report

By C. J. Refsland on March 4, 2013 • ( 1 )

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Lightning doesn’t strike twice. Or does it?

Various Italian news sources reported Sunday that a mild earthquake had struck Rome and surrounding areas, including Castel Gandolfo, the former pope’s temporary home.

According to the Agence France-Presse, the earthquake had a local magnitude of 2.5and was felt in Rome, Ciapino, Marino and Castel Gandolfo. So far, no reports of injury or serious damage have been relayed to the Italian Department of Civil Protection.

Italian news blog Blogo reported that, according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, the quake originated at a depth of 10.5 kilometers.

This latest event comes on the heels of a photo that appeared to show a bolt of lightning striking St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City just hours after Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation on Feb. 11.

Then, as now, some people speculated as to whether the act of nature was really a divine message. On Sunday, Italia Domani asked whether the earthquake wasn’t a sign for the cardinals who will soon be choosing a new pope.

Castel Gandolfo, a small town a few miles outside Rome, has been a longtime summer retreat for pontiffs, reports NBC News. In July 2012, a 3.6-magnitude, 6-mile-deep tremor was felt by then-Pope Benedict while he was vacationing at the retreat, according to the National Catholic Register.

9 Little known facts about the Pope Emeritus

He is an Aries

The sign of the ram, the Pope Emeritus is an Aries.

He Is Multi Multi Lingual

The Pope Emeritus is proficient in NINE languages including German, Italian, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Latin, Ancient Greek, and Biblical Hebrew

He’s A Book Lover

He has over 20,000 books in his personal library!

HIs Favorite Food Is Potato Ravioli

A favorite food of Benedict is Potato Ravioli which is a staple from his home in Bavaria, Germany.

His Favorite Music Is Mozart

Not a huge surprise – Pope Emeritus Benedict’s favorite musician is Mozart. According to Benedict’s brother, his favorite musical pieces are the Clarinet Quintet and the Clarinet Concerto. Benedict also plays the piano himself!

His Favorite Soda Is Orange Fanta

According to a poster made in anticipation of his trip to America, the ‘Emeritus Pope’ has declared Orange Fanta as his favorite drink

He Loves Cats

Pope Benedict is a big cat lover and according to the Catholic News Agency he has two cats, one of whom was a stray he found in Rome.

His Awesome Taste In Shoes

Pope Benedict won Esquire Magazine 2007’sAccessorizer of the Year for his signature red shoes designed by Prada. Sources say he will give them up for some plain brown shoes from Mexico.. but we hope he will remember them fondly. (I understand that he can’t wear these shoes as they represent the ‘Blood of the Martyrs’ and only the Pope can wear these.)