Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

Unfortunately I was unable to see the Papal inauguration of Pope Francis on television this morning, and had to rely on internet reports. It was clear from these that His Holiness has raised hopes and expectations in his home continent amongst the faithful who were present in St Peter's Square.

This evening a friend of eminently traditionalist sympathies was saying that he thought this morning's ceremonial was in several ways a distinct improvement on that in 2005. He cited the presence of a crucifix over th Papal throne, and the free-standing statute of the Virgin and Child by the altar, the canopy over the altar and the six large candlesticks flanking the crucifix there, which also had its own, seventh light. 

I assume that these are in part a result of the revision of the rite by Pope Benedict XVI before he stepped aside, and which was reported on the Vatican webite during the vacancy. It was this which restored the homage of the Cardinals - though as with the homage of the Peers at the English Coronation it is reduced to representitives of each degree rather than all the Sacred College. The New Liturgical Movement has Ceremonial Details of Today's Mass of Inauguration on its site.

I must, of course, admit, that I would rather we had had the traditional Coronation of the Pope, and will always recall the impact of watching on television that of Pope Paul VI in 1963.

One thing which surprises me for not being retained in the modified Inauguration, as opposed to Coronation, rite is the ceremony with a Franciscan holding up on three occasions a piece of burning  flax or tow with the salutory admonition as it flared up and extinguished itself to the new Pope of "Pater Sancte, Sic transit gloria mundi." I would have thought that might appeal particularly to Pope Francis. 

The same friend to whom I was talking this evening was last week full of despondency over the impression that was getting about as to the new Pope's liturgical and ceremonial style - be it the absence of the mozetta at his appearance on the balcony of St Peter's following his election, the choice of his own black shoes rather than the traditional red ones worn by Pope Benedict, or the omission of the Papal fanon, which the former Pope had reassumed, today. I must admit to being inclined to agree and we are aware that we are not alone at the moment in fearing that we may be seeing a rolling back of liturgical points which, whilst they may seem small things to others, we see as having a profound significance for the office of the Papacy, and as having been prudently used by Pope Benedict.  

Such fears, whether justified or not, are not assuaged by reports such as this one by the veteran BBC Rome correspondent David Willey (though I often sense his understanding of the Vatican and the Church is less than perfect) which can be seen at Break with past. 

The reaction against such reports is interesting - as in a blog post from Laurence England in Brighton, a blogger noted for his sympathy for the poor and homeless, which you can read here.

That point made, it is also important to stress that as Catholics we feel loyalty to the Pope and to his office, and respect and look to his spiritual leadership and teaching example - as, for example, I wrote the other day Pope Francis may well be the leader to recall the developed economies to a sense of responsibility and morality. It is rather on these lines that Fr Julian Large C.O., Provost of the London Oratory, has written an excellent piece which can be read here.

Addendum - Thursday

Further to what I wrote above on  Tuesday evening I would draw attention to a very thoughtful posting on his blog by Fr Blake about the nature and perception of Papal authority in the modern world. His point about the risks for the Church of relying on the perceived celebrity of a Pontiff  has  concerned me as an idea since the conclaves of 1978.His post can be read at Larger than life Popes?  

The Papal Fanon

There has been much excitement over the last thirty six hours in the blogosphere and amongst those with an eye for these things about the fact that the Pope wore the Papal fanon at yesterday's canonization Mass in St Peter's Square. 
 

The Pope vested with the fanon

Image: Hermeneutic of Continuity

I am delighted to see the return of this ancient vestment, about whose history and development there is an online article here.There are photographs of the Pope yesterday on the New Liturgical Movement site which can be viewed here.

The question as to why the Pope has restored the use of the fanon now, and not at an earlier time, may be in part answered by the article on Rorate Caeli, which links it to a number of quite significant restorations of practice in the canonization liturgy, and which can be read here. This is not, then, a case of finding something in the "Papal dressing -up box" , as might explain the solitary use of the fanon by Pope John Paul II,  but a considered change by the Pope and Mgr Marini.  

One thing which struck me on some of the photographs I have seen is the style of the Papal throne erected for the occasion - much more what one would have seen fifty and more years ago.    

Episcopal consecration by the Pope

Whilst preparing my post last Saturday on Pope Pius X I found this photograph in the Wikipedia biography of the Pope.

Pope Pius X consecrates Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, the future Pope Benedict XV, as a Bishop in the Vatican in 1907.

Quite apart from its intrinsic interest this photograph took my eye as Richard Fleming was also consecrated as a bishop by the then Pope, Martin V, in 1420 when the curia was in Florence. The consecration probably took place somewhere in the Dominican house of Sta Maria Novella. Such consecrations did not always take place in a church or chapel - I have seen at least one reference to a room in the Vatican palace being fitted up as a temporary chapel for such a consecration in the early sixteenth century. Following the consecration Fleming can be seen to have received various papal grants on behalf of his family and friends.

In the verses he wrote for his tomb he specifically referred to having been consecrated by the Pope himself and the wonderful piety the Holy Father had displayed.

Although the setting and vestments would have been somewhat different - fashions do, after all, change - photographs such as this are a reminder of the continuity of liturgical tradition and practice, and help one to envisage Fleming's consecration.