Pope to call space station in papal first

April 22, 2011

Pope to call space station in papal first (AP)

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Pope Benedict XVI delivers his blessing at the end of a Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, April 21, 2011. The Chrism Mass marks the start of the Easter celebrations. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

(AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI will be in satellite contact with two Italian astronauts aboard the International Space Station in what would be the first papal call to space.

The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano reported Friday that the hookup will happen on May 4 after shuttle Endeavour docks with the station. Liftoff is set for next Friday.

Two Italian will be meeting up on the space station. Roberto Vittori (vi-TORE'-ee) will be aboard the shuttle and Paolo Nespoli (NES'-po-lee) is a space station resident.

Vittori will be carrying a silver medal donated by the pope. Others on the space station are Russian and American.

©2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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panorama
Apr 22, 2011

Rank: 3.7 / 5 (3)
He's calling to check on the progress of the second death star...
fuviss_co_uk
Apr 22, 2011

Rank: 3.7 / 5 (3)
who cares....
everything connected with science is not a good place for pope ( anti- technology old man)
emsquared
Apr 22, 2011

Rank: 5 / 5 (3)
Something something something.... daark siide... something something something... complee-t.
Skeptic_Heretic
Apr 22, 2011

Rank: not rated yet
He does realize that if there was a God, it wouldn't live in the sky, right?
TheGhostofOtto1923
Apr 22, 2011

Rank: not rated yet
What does the pope need with a space station?
http://www.youtub...a_player
antialias_physorg
Apr 23, 2011

Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
Let's leave religion on earth. No need to pollute space with it.
Alexander_Herrmann
Apr 23, 2011

Rank: not rated yet
Iam almost certain the pope will make it a COLLECT call.
JamesThomas
Apr 23, 2011

Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
What's Paypal got to do with this any way?
Rank 3.7 /5 (3 votes)
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