The heat on Wednesday got to Pope Benedict XVI, who cut short his address to a packed St. Peter's Square because of the soaring temperatures. "Because it's too hot, I would like to abbreviate," the 79-year-old pope said.
His words were met with a burst of applause by the some 25,000 pilgrims gathered in the sweltering piazza for the pontiff's midweek audience.
Taking St. James the apostle as his example, the German-born pope went on to urge Christians to "be ready to follow Christ, even when he asks us to leave the boat of our human securities".
"If we follow Christ as St. James did, then we know that even when we encounter difficulties, we are on the right road," the pope concluded. He then retired to the cool of his Vatican apartments.
Italy, especially the southern half, has been basking in a heat wave with temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius. The hot weather is expected to continue for the next week.
