"Et in Arcadio Ego" The Pope's first encyciclical

Yippee! Its his first encyclical. the black pope,
mister authoritarian numero uno, papa ratzi,
the german shepherd has published is his
first pamphlet. And its title is "Deus Caritas
Est" = God is Love.

Benedict XVI, obviously aware, that his
career will only be taken seriously if he
regularly offers us something meaty and
intellectual has taken on the concepts of
Love. in all its variations .-

+ Friendly matey chummy love.
* Sexy hot and sweaty Lurve.
# the sort of affection you feel for God for either creating you or not having struck you down yet with a bolt of lightening.

Published in several languages ( English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish) at once readers and commentators have already
suggested that something got lost in the
translation.-

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1995575,00.html

For as we know, english only has one word for Love. spellt "L-o-v-e", just as in "love
parade". And that technically "lurve" is a funky
piece of slang. But latin and greek have
oodles of words for Love, and Benedict XVI is
actually being quite adventurous in
addressing the greek concept "Eros" which
approximates to our modern phrase "sexed
up and horny".

here's the english text
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html

here's the wikipedia article which will be of interest to all with even a passing concern of what exactly are the Kathurlicks up to, where does "eros" come into "paedophilia" for example, as it will similarly be of interest to those with a background in classics in general or Platonic philosophy in particular.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deus_Caritas_Est
as Wikìpedia points out :- Ratzi quotes wide and far -
["a line from Virgil's Eclogues, Book X, line 69, "Omnia vincit amor, et nos cedamus amori" ("Love conquers all, and we yield to love"), and the opinion of Friedrich Nietzsche that Christianity has poisoned eros, turning it into a vice. It refers to the conjugal love exhibited in the Song of Songs, and analyses passages from the First Letter of St. John which inspired the title. The second half, based on a report prepared by the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, is more practical, considering the charitable activities of the Church as an expression of love, and referring to the Church's three-fold responsibility: proclaiming the word of God (kerygma-martyria), celebrating the sacraments (leitourgia), and exercising the ministry of charity (diakonia). A final paragraph is inspired by Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy (particularly the last canto of "Paradise", which ends before "the everlasting Light that is God himself, before that Light which at the same time is the love which moves the sun and the other stars")]

which really is quite something. (the quoting of Virgil bit).

I love you too Benedict.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx / @+*.:.