Vatican City - US President George W Bush drew gasps at the Vatican on Saturday by referring to Pope Benedict XVI as "sir" instead of the expected "His Holiness", pool reporters said.
They could clearly hear the US leader say "Yes, sir" when the pope asked him if he was going to meet with officials of the lay Catholic Sant'Egidio community at the US embassy later during his visit.
A handful of pool reporters were on hand as Benedict greeted Bush at the door of his private library ahead of a private audience of about half an hour.
On his way to see the 80-year-old pontiff, the US leader apparently recognised someone he knew, and could be heard greeting the person with a casual "How ya doin'?"
The pool reporters also noted Bush's relaxed posture, crossing his legs "Texan style" while facing the pope across his desk in the private study of the apostolic palace.
hehehehe lolz i wonder if unintentionally got all the catholics against him. The pope is known as a authority figure, maybe he shouldn't have called him sir..but then again that's what i would probably call him myself if were him… because
- i don 't believe that the pope is a godly figure becuase he is human like the rest of us and he screws up. Therefore he is not a godly figure or God.
- i'm not catholic ^_^