At the Pope’s traditional start-of-Lent audience today with the priests of his Diocese of Rome, one of those present called out in the dialect: «Qua te volemo tutti bene!» (Here we all love you).
The Holy Father answered in the same dialect, encouraging his visitors in their priestly ministry: «Damose da fa!» (Let’s get going).
He then added a typical Roman expression: «Volemose bene!» (Let’s love each other). Amid applause and laughter, he added: «Semo romani!» (We are Romans).
To the surprised priests and bishops in attendance, John Paul II asked: «I have not learned ‘Romanesco.’ Does it mean that I am not a good Bishop of Rome?»
