Getting your player ready...
VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI was to depart Saturday on a 10-day trip to Australia, the longest pilgrimage of his papacy and a test of the 81-year-old pontiff’s stamina.
Although aides say the pope is in fine health, the Vatican appeared to be taking no chances to ensure Benedict is fit for the church’s World Youth Day festival.
It canceled Benedict’s weekly public audience this past Wednesday as well as most other meetings to give him as much rest as possible.
