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?”
