Catholic World News News Feature

Papal honor for German Marian shrine April 09, 2008

Pope Benedict XVI has presented a coveted papal honor, a golden rose, to the Marian Shrine in Altotting, Germany.

The golden rose is a finely crafted piece of artwork, showing golden roses in a golden vase, inscribed with the Pope's coat of arms. It is traditionally presented by the Pontiff to be kept in shrines that he has visited and that he treasures.

Altotting is the first German shrine to which Pope Benedict has presented the golden rose. He has previously presented the honor to the Marian shrines of Mariazell, Austria; and Aparecida, Brazil. His predecessor, Pope John Paul II, presented golden roses to Marian Shrines in Czestochowa, Poland; Loreto, Italy; Knock, Ireland; and Lourdes, France.