Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Papal Coronation: Bring It Back

Image from the Internet.

"The papal coronation took place on 30th June 1963.  He prepared himself by receiving the sacrament of Penance, to which he was faithful."  p. 52.

Bring back the rite of coronation!

"The gift of the tiara occured on 13th November 1964, shortly before the Holy Father's departure for Bombay.  The pope concelebrated Mass in St. Peter's according to the Byzantine rite together with the Melchite Patriarch.  At the end of the liturgy the Secretary General of the Council publicly recalled that according to Jesus Christ's example, the  Church had always been the mother of the poor, and that accordingly, the pope was donating his tiara to them.  The Holy Father himself, among the acclamations of the crowd, approached the altar and laid the tiara upon it.  The gesture aroused a great surprise, for not all approved of it."  p. 83.

--Paul VI by Archbishop Pasquale Macchi.

14 comments:

  1. I wouldn't hold your breath.

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  2. Give it another 50 years.

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  3. I think the tierra takes away from the true reason the Church exists, which is to bring people to Christ. The Pope is not a king, but a Humble Servant of God to the People.

    Sincerly
    Trinitarian Brother

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  4. Um, no, the pope is a king. He remains the "Sovereign" of Vatican City State. He has spiritual as well as temporal power. Every sovereign is entitled to a coronation, thus the crown.

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  5. I disagree. I acknowledge his office as head of Vatican City State, but why should we the church have to parade him around like a king. He should be a humble servant

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  6. Saying the papal tiara is symbolic of temporal power is exactly why it hasn't been used. Venerable Pope John Paul the Great said as much when he said: "This is not the time to return to a ceremony and an object considered, wrongly, to be a symbol of the temporal power of the Popes."

    The papal tiara is not a symbol of the temporal power of the papacy, but rather a symbol of its spiritual power. This needs to be properly understood, if it is ever to return.

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  7. The meaning of the tiara should be established in spiritual terms, not temporal terms. The temporal power of the papacy is irrelevant to the preaching of the Gospel.

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  8. Wrong (cf. Pius XI Lateran Treaty).

    It is precicely the temporal power of the papacy which preserves its spiritual power.

    The temporal soverignity is first necessary to safeguard and protect the freedom and voice of the same papacy to act independently (cf. Fascist and Nazi occupation of Rome).

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  9. Well if Pope John Paul II "the Great" said it I guess it must be right! Everyone get in line to kiss the Koran like he did.

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  10. "It is precisely the temporal power of the papacy which preserves its spiritual power."

    That is mostly true, but the spiritual power of the papacy is more important than the temporal power, and does not cease to exist if that temporal power is lost. Recall the years between the Italian unification and the signing of the Lateran Treaty. Technically, the Pope had no temporal sovereignty, and yet retained all spiritual sovereignty.

    The Papal Tiara must symbolize the spiritual authority of the Pope, otherwise, it will not return.

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  11. "The tiara is a symbol of Christian unity."

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  12. The tiara is NOT a symbol of temporal power, but one of its crowns IS (teacher, RULER, high priest).

    Yes, the spiritual ministration is important, but it goes hand in hand with the temporal, but perogatives and nature of the papal office.

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  13. "It is precisely the temporal power of the papacy which preserves its spiritual power."

    This is anachronistic. I don't believe in this. Besides, there is no definition that the petrine mission must have temporal power. The temporal power of the papacy is no longer a benefit to the preaching of the Gospel. The church must renounce to the temporal power of the papacy.

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  14. As Catholics we should all be behind the restoration of the Tiara on some occasions, like the Coronation, Easter Blessing, Christmas. How does one look through the lens of continuity and not see the Tiara in some use? It has been used for over 1000 years. Temporal power? Do you really think that the Pope is going to March on the US then, Europe because he wears a Tiara once in a while? All religions have symbols that invoke their identity. The Tiara is one of Catholicisms'. And for those who misunderstand, then how can not using it ever clear that misunderstanding? It should be worn, explained and reclaimed as part of OUR Traditions. It's not like they have to make new ones, spending money. There are many in the Vatican. Maybe you don't like it or consider it gaudy, but for many millions, its' abandonment has caused quite discomfort and pain. Again the symbolism. I say explain it, and use it occasionally. A Papal Encylical explaining alll of the Catholic Traditions and Symbols would be a great way to correct misunderstanings and be a huge gift to the Church for centuries to come. And Papa Benedict is just the Pope who could beautifully explain them to us, and future generations.

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