Pope Benedict XVI's new book "Light of the World" in which he talks
candidly about issues including sexuality and child abuse has had record
sales, the Vatican newspaper announced Wednesday.
Over a million
copies of the book in various languages have been sold, the Osservatore
Romano said in an editorial which will hit the shelves Thursday.
The
first 50,000 copies of the Italian edition immediately sold out and all
copies of the second edition have been reserved days before it came
out, it said.
In English, 100,000 copies have been sold, with another 80,000 in French and 200,000 in German.
The figures "are an indication of the appetite for answers and reference points of our age", the Vatican paper said.
Giovanni
Maria Vian, editor of the newspaper, said the success was down to "the
pope's open and confident tone and clear language".
The book,
published in 18 languages, is based on 20 hours of interviews with
German journalist Peter Seewald, the author, and explores the pope's
views on sexuality, abuse, Islam and female ordination, among other
issues.
"Light of the World" made the headlines when it went on
sale in November last year after it emerged that Benedict had made frank
comments about condom use, which he said may be justified in the case
of male prostitutes.
SIC: AFP/INT'L