Pope's secret outing

Pope Benedict XVI managed to dodge journalists and crowds during his first outing in the mountains near his holiday retreat in Bressanone, in Italy's northern Alto Adige region, Vatican sources revealed on Monday.

After celebrating the traditional Angelus service on Sunday in Bressanone's cathedral, the pope and his elder brother Georg, who is keeping him company on his holiday, visited the neighbouring village of Sant'Andrea.

They were spotted at the village's tiny cemetery, praying at the tomb of Catholic missionary Anton Agreiter, a dear friend who died in 2003. Benedict, 81, had kept indoors during the first week of his holiday in the town's ancient seminary, where he had holidayed before becoming pope in 2005.

So far, he has reportedly spent much of his time in the seminary library, reading and praying. Vatican sources said Benedict planned to devote part of his two-week break to drafting a keenly awaited encyclical on social issues and working on the second part of his worldwide bestseller Jesus of Nazareth.

Georg Ratzinger, who is also a priest, shares his brother's love of music, and a grand piano has been installed at the medieval seminary in the German-speaking town where the pair will stay until August 11.

A statement released by the Bressanone Church press office said Benedict would travel to the small town of Oies on Tuesday to visit the house of Saint Joseph Freinademetz, a local priest who was a missionary in China.

During the Angelus service on Sunday the pope sent China his best wishes for a successful Olympics and called for the Games to serve as an example of peaceful co-existence among people of different backgrounds.

The pope has repeatedly called for greater dialogue with the officially atheist state, making it clear he wants to eventually restore full diplomatic ties with Beijing.

Ties were severed in 1951, soon after the Communist Revolution.
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