Czech press survey - February 12

The Pope´s resignation is a special kind of victory of reason within an institution that has always placed emphasis on tradition, sentiment and particularly faith, Petr Kambersky writes in daily Hospodarske noviny.

The move in itself would not be shocking if it were not a metaphor of how new thinking has got hold even of the most traditional institution, Kambersky writes.

He writes that when the "dry" Ratzinger was taking over the post after the "pop star" Wojtyla, many feared that he will be leading the church back.

This has not happened. On the contrary. It seems that with his unexpected step he will move the church further than anyone may have thought, more than he himself may have thought, Kambersky writes.

The voluntary decision to step down is probably the most radical step taken by Benedict XVI who became pope at a high age, which also predetermined his attitude: to preserve without changes what can be preserved, and not to discourage the surrounding world with radical moves, Michal Mocek writes in Pravo.

In his decision-making he may have remembered the dramatic departure of his predecessor, John Paul II, who was disappearing over long months on the eyes of the world as an ordinary man, not as a representative of God on the Earth, Mocek writes.

Benedict XVI has decided to choose a different, "modern" way, even at the cost of burying one strong tradition. It is probably not possible to act otherwise at a time that is asking new questions about the end of man, Mocek writes.

Benedict XVI, considered a conservative, has announced his resignation, and he can be viewed as a sort of revolutionary who has put an end to one tradition, Martin Zverina writes in Lidove noviny.

Being a man of rationality he realised how much the role of the supreme church official has changed. The world differs from what it was a century ago and the church no longer needs a pope who performs ceremonial duties, but who is fully effective, Zverina writes.

Stanislav Balik writes in Mlada fronta Dnes that Benedict XVI did not follow the path of his predecessor, John Paul II, he was not a pope of great words and gestures.

Not a pope of crowds, but a pope of a thoughtful faith is leaving with him, Balik writes.

"A known bon mot from the church environment says people were going to see John Paul II. People are going to listen to Benedict XVI," Balik writes.

Outgoing President Vaclav Klaus, instead of enjoying the victory of his protege Milos Zeman as his successor in the presidential post, continues to dance on the corpse of his predecessor, Vaclav Havel, Jiri Leschtina writes in Hospodarske noviny about the interview Klaus has granted to the Polish weekly Do Rzeczy, in which he heaped dirt on Havel.

Klaus may be realising that Zeman´s victory was not actually his victory and that the game is almost over when watching the attention paid to Zeman, Leschtina writes.

However, Havel was leaving accompanied by respect of a big part of the public, Klaus is leaving amid disinterest and quickly spreading disdain. That is why he wanted to at least once more arouse attention by throwing dirt on someone who will not definitely defend himself, Leschtina writes.

But Klaus has bad luck. Precisely on the day that he let out his poisons, the world is looking at the Vatican where the Pope announced his resignation, Leschtina writes.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz