May 9, 2005: An Autographed Color Photo of Pope Benedict XVI with the Curator’s Commentary

Father Richard Kunst, Curator & Commentator

Autographed Color Photo of Pope Benedict XVI 

This item is actually both common and uncommon. It is the autographed photo of a pope. Although they are relatively common, they’re still highly sought after and a lot of people try to get them, which makes it fairly difficult. So maybe it’s a misnomer to say that they’re common. But the thing that makes this one uncommon is that it’s the first photograph signed by Pope Benedict XVI as pope. It was on May 9, 2005, so it was just 19-20 days after his election.

We can see the ‘PP’ next to his name on this item, as in many other documents in the Collection, dating way back in history. The significance of the ‘PP’ is that almost always, though not always, a pope will sign his papal name with ‘PP’, which simply is short for Papa or Daddy, indicating the spiritual fatherhood of the pope towards the faithful. So 99 per cent of the time the Holy Father signs in this manner symbolizing his universal role as our Shepherd. Imagine! His symbol of fathering us is contained right in his very name. And it has been used for hundreds of years.  —-Father Richard Kunst

Papal Artifacts is grateful to Pope Benedict XVI for the gift of his life to our Church.

Here is a link to the Papal Artifacts’ Collection for  Pope Benedict XVI:

Pope Benedict XVI