VOA标准英语2011--Pope Benedict Declares John Paul 'Blesse

Pope Benedict Declares John Paul 'Blessed'

More than a million people descended¹ on Rome to take part in the beatification ceremony of the late Pope John Paul II.
Throngs² of people jammed Saint Peter's Square, the boulevard leading up to it and nearby piazzas³ for the special beatification mass at the Vatican. Thousands camped out all night and took part in an all night prayer vigil at Circus Maximus.
People from all corners of the world prayed, sang hymns⁴ and waved their national flags. Many were Polish who came in to honor their native son. Attending the ceremony were 90 official delegations⁵ and 16 heads of state.
Also among the crowd was French nun⁶, Sister Marie-Simon Pierre, who says she was miraculously⁷ cured from Parkinson's disease after praying to the late pope.
Pope Benedict pronounced the beatification formula and a large portrait of a smiling Pope John Paul II was unveiled, to the applause of the large crowd.
Those who took part in the ceremony spoke⁸ of the privilege they felt to be present and of how much the Polish pope meant to them.
"He was so loving and just open and warm, and just looking at this face in pictures makes me remember the love he had for everyone," said one pilgrim.
"He's like the traveling pope who wanted to reach out to every person and every human being on earth," remarked another.
In his homily, Pope Benedict called his predecessor⁹ an exemplary son of Poland who, through his witness of faith, love and apostolic courage, accompanied by great human charisma¹⁰, helped believers throughout the world not to be afraid to be called Christian¹¹. Pope Benedict said his own service was sustained by John Paul's spiritual depth and by the richness of his insights.
The pope also spoke of John Paul's witness in suffering. He said the Lord gradually stripped John Paul of everything, yet he remained ever a "rock," as Christ desired.
His profound humility¹², Pope Benedict added, grounded in close union with Christ, enabled him to continue to lead the Church and to give to the world a message that became all the more eloquent¹³ as his physical strength declined.
Sunday's beatification ceremony took place despite criticism about the record speed with which John Paul was being honored, and continued outrage¹⁴ about clerical abuse. Critics say he mishandled the sex-abuse scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic Church.
Vatican officials have insisted that John Paul deserved to be put on the road to sainthood saying this process is not a judgment¹⁵ of how he administered the church but rather whether he lived a life of Christian virtue¹⁶.
John Paul's beatification means he has had a miracle attributed to his intercession. Another miracle will need to be recognized for him to become a saint.

1 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

2 throngs   

n.人群( throng的名词复数 )v.成群，挤满( throng的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She muscled through the throngs of people, frantically searching for David. 她使劲挤过人群，拼命寻找戴维。 来自辞典例句
• Our friends threaded their way slowly through the throngs upon the Bridge. 我们这两位朋友在桥上从人群中穿过，慢慢地往前走。 来自辞典例句

3 piazzas   

n.广场，市场( piazza的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In the cities of Italy, piazzas are the acknowledged centers of local activity. 在意大利的城市里，广场是公认的群众活动中心。 来自互联网
• Alleyways wind through the city like a maze, opening up into surprising, sunny fountained piazzas. 小巷子像迷宫一般蜿蜒穿过这座城市，出现在令人惊讶、绚烂的喷泉广场上。 来自互联网

4 hymns   

n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At first, they played the hymns and marches familiar to them. 起初他们只吹奏自己熟悉的赞美诗和进行曲。 来自英汉非文学 - 百科语料821
• I like singing hymns. 我喜欢唱圣歌。 来自辞典例句

5 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

6 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

7 miraculously   

ad.奇迹般地

参考例句：

• He had been miraculously saved from almost certain death. 他奇迹般地从死亡线上获救。
• A schoolboy miraculously survived a 25 000-volt electric shock. 一名男学生在遭受2.5 万伏的电击后奇迹般地活了下来。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

10 charisma   

n.(大众爱戴的)领袖气质，魅力

参考例句：

• He has enormous charisma. He is a giant of a man.他有超凡的个人魅力，是个伟人。
• I don't have the charisma to pull a crowd this size.我没有那么大的魅力，能吸引这么多人。

11 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

12 humility   

n.谦逊，谦恭

参考例句：

• Humility often gains more than pride.谦逊往往比骄傲收益更多。
• His voice was still soft and filled with specious humility.他的声音还是那么温和，甚至有点谦卑。

13 eloquent   

adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的

参考例句：

• He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。
• These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

14 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

15 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

16 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。