VATICAN CITY -- Hours before leaving for his native Germany for World Youth Day, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he will now be known as Pope Paul VII.

"My trisyllabic papal name," the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger explained, "was getting in the way between me and my congregations. I figured a monsylabbic name - Paul - would help me be closer to the people. Plus, I understand Paul is people's favorite. . . how do you say? - Beatle," he said, rhyming "Beatle" with "Seattle."

"What inspired me to change my name again," the Pope said, was that young gentleman in America, Puff Father or whatever. He'll be Diddy now, not P. Diddy, to establish a closer rapport with his followers, and I feel a need to do the same. And he must be doing something right, he's very popular. He is a good fisher of men."

Okay, I made this up. I just wanted to show utterly ridiculous for Sean Combs to keep changing his rap name, and how dumb it is for rappers to adopt those stage names in the first place! :p

Back in 1978, in CREEM magazine, someone wrote in and asked when the next pope would be named George Ringo? :lol:

VATICAN CITY -- Hours before leaving for his native Germany for World Youth Day, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he will now be known as Pope Paul VII.

"My trisyllabic papal name," the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger explained, "was getting in the way between me and my congregations. I figured a monsylabbic name - Paul - would help me be closer to the people. Plus, I understand Paul is people's favorite. . . how do you say? - Beatle," he said, rhyming "Beatle" with "Seattle."

"What inspired me to change my name again," the Pope said, was that young gentleman in America, Puff Father or whatever. He'll be Diddy now, not P. Diddy, to establish a closer rapport with his followers, and I feel a need to do the same. And he must be doing something right, he's very popular. He is a good fisher of men."

Okay, I made this up. I just wanted to show utterly ridiculous for Sean Combs to keep changing his rap name, and how dumb it is for rappers to adopt those stage names in the first place! :p
LOL too damn funny. I agree with you re P.diddy, p daddy, p pee. So stupid. P diddy changes names like jHO changes husbands.

Back in 1978, in CREEM magazine, someone wrote in and asked when the next pope would be named George Ringo? :lol:

Yeah, that's why I'm glad Joseph Ratzinger chose to be called Benedict XVI. No more dumb Beatle-Vatican jokes - until Pope John Paul III comes along! :eek:

P.S. Venice patriarch Cardinal Albino Luciani took the name John Paul I as pope not to reflect his taste in music (though he might have owned a copy of The Beatles In Italy :lol: ), but to combine the papal names of his two predecessors, John XXIII and Paul VI, to symbolize his commitment to continuity of the reforms and suggestions of the Second Vatican Council. Ironically, John Paul I died after a month as pope, scuttling the idea of such continuity. :(