Howard Burditt - an unexpected meeting with Pope John Paul

I remember Howard as an always smiling and friendly colleague, despite the many stresses of working in Zimbabwe, which included being thrown in a filthy jail for three days in 2008.

I first met him long before that in 1988, when I came from Rome to cover an eventful tour of southern Africa by Pope John Paul II.  

During the Mozambique leg of the journey, we flew up to Beira in the centre of the country, where the pope celebrated a mass. On the return to Maputo the papal plane landed earlier than expected and well ahead of the following press plane. Local officials seemed caught off guard and Howard, who had stayed in the capital to photograph the pope’s return, found himself standing uneasily at the end of a red carpet alone as the pontiff descended the steps.

Apparently thinking he must be the welcoming local official, the pope marched up to a discomfited Howard and shook him by the hand. Thrown completely off guard, Howard mumbled “How’s it going Holy Father?” before the papal delegation swept off, somewhat puzzled at their unorthodox reception.    ■