JustASC

For years now I’ve been using the phrase “We luvem you, Big Papa!” whenever I hear the pope mentioned on the radio. I seemed to remember it being the headline of a Times article written when a previous pope visited the Philippines and spoke to the locals in Tagalog, and it’s just really fun to say.

In honor of Benedict XVI’s visit to Israel, I decided to check my memory against an archive search. And sure enough, I’d gotten it wrong.  This May 13, 1984 piece about Pope John Paul II’s visit to Papua New Guinea explains all:

In Papua New Guinea, where he was greeted by bare-chested dancers and drummers, the Pope offered his blessings in the local languages as well as English. ”Mi laikum yu Pop!” – ”I love you, Pope,” the audience chanted in pidgin English.

I like my version better.