Pope makes first appearance at Vatican window

Pope Benedict XVI today made the first window appearance of his papacy, saying he was keeping up the popular tradition of his “beloved” predecessor, John Paul II, who last appeared to crowds in St Peter’s Square in silent suffering.

With tens of thousands of people gathered in the square below, Benedict stood at the window of the papal apartment, which he moved into a day earlier, blessed the crowd, wished Orthodox Christians a happy Easter and said he hoped efforts toward Christian unity would continue.