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 published: 2005-04-29

Pallium and fisherman's ring - signs of a new springtime for the Church

Experience of the inaugural ceremony of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI

Domingo, 24 de abril: Benedicto XVI saluda a la gente

Sunday, April 24: Benedict XVI greeting the crowd at St. Peter’s

Sonntag, 24. April: Benedikt XVI grüßt die jubelnde Menge auf dem Petersplatz

 
 

Lunes 25 de abril: audiencia para los peregrinos alemanes

Monday April 25: Audience for the German pilgrims

Montag, 25. April: Audienz für die deutschen Pilger

Fotos: Rüttgers © 2005

 
 

Belmonte: semillas de girasoles, signo de una nueva primavera de la iglesia...

Belmonte: sunflower seeds, sign of a new spring for the church…

Belmonte: Sonnenblumen-Pflanzaktion, Zeichen für einen neuen Frühling für die Kirche...

 
 

... desde el Santuario

... from the Shrine

...vom Heiligtum aus

Fotos: Abram © 2005

 

ROMA, MONS. Dr. Peter Wolf. On Sunday at 6:00 a.m. we departed with Father Antonio Portalatin from Puerto Rico towards St. Peter's Square. Father Antonio wanted to leave very early in order to find a good place in St. Peter's Square, not far away, close to the Tiber.

I had credentials that would permit me access to the area of the Pope's family. Since we arrived so early, we found a place on the second row, in front of the steps of the basilica, very close to the greatstatue of St. Peter.

The steps were decorated like a spring garden, with green grass and yellow and white flowers, a gift from the Diocese of Genova. Professor Father Ignacio Sanna had stressed the night before that the ceremony was not called a coronation, like before, but "the beginning of the Petrine ministry of the Bishop of Rome". This was mentioned in many forms during all the liturgy. The procession began at the tomb of St. Peter, where the pallium and the fisherman's ring had been placed on the eve of the ceremony.

The Pope directed himself there accompanied by the patriarch of the Eastern Churches. Meanwhile the magnificent "Laudes Regiae" were entoned that ended with the litany of all the saints. Then the entrance of the Cardinals and the Pope into St. Peter's Square, where they were received with so much joy and rejoicing that the uproar subsided only

when the prayers began. The Liturgy of the Word followed with the passage of the Gospel in which Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him, it was read in Latin and Greek. In this way the Liturgy of the Eastern Church was also incorporated, which was represented by numerous dignitaries.

Symbols of the Papacy

This part culminated with the impressive ceremony of the presentation of the pallium and of the fisherman's ring, their significance was explained with very well chosen words. The Holy Father alluded to these two symbols in his homily.He had the intuition that at this crucial stage of history, these two symbols should be an indication of the face of the Papacy of the future, beyond Benedict XVI. The pallium is the symbol, from centuries ago, of the mission of the shepherd and the unity of the Bishops, with the Bishop of Rome. It would not surprise me, if through this symbol, the subject of the collegiality of the Bishops, will receive a new impulse in the coming years. The fisherman's ring is the symbol of unity with Peter, with the mission of being Fisherman of men, the Church, with the promise of the catch, and all that is tied to the person of Peter in the Gospels.

The presentation of the oldest symbols of the Papacy was followed by the commitment to obedience that, to the surprise of many, was not only made by the Cardinals, as in the past, but it was fulfilled by 12 person representing the entire Church: three Cardinals, a bishop a priest, a deacon, a religious, and a sister, a couple, two youths, who were recently confirmed, all of which came from all the continents. The Pope's homily followed (link) which was interrupted once and again by applause (the media counted 38 interruptions). I believe that there is a great richness hidden in the homily that we can and should continue to deepen.

Then came the petitions in different languages and the Creed which was sung. After the Presentation of the Gifts, the imposing celebration continued with the consecration and communion in St. Peter's Square. The Eucharist ended with a spontaneous ovation. Then, it was practically impossible to reach the Tiber through the Via de Conciliacione. It took two hours to reach our Center in Aventin.

Holy Mass of the General Presidency in the Shrine Cor Ecclesiae

In the evening the General Presidency and the Sisters went to the Shrine Cor Ecclesiae, just as planned, to celebrate a Holy Mass of Thanksgiving, presided by Monsignor Zimmerer. Afterwards the Sisters treated us to a cold buffet.It was a very cordial encounter with a lively exchange of impressions. It was there that I found out that the next morning there would be an audience for the German pilgrims.

A cordial encounter with the German pilgrims

Monday morning, before going to the audience, I left to visit the tomb of John Paul II. Unfortunately, I was unable to arrive, because St. Peter's Square will filled halfway of people who also wanted to visit the tomb. Then I went to the Paul VI Auditorium. This place began to fill up to three fourths of its capacity: there were more or less 5, 000 persons. The Holy Father arrived late, excusing himself to the German pilgrims, "who are usually punctual". Before the audience, he had a meeting with the representatives of the Orthodox Churches, and various delegates from other religions. An apology to which the people responded with a strong applause.

The encounter was very cordial and in a familiar manner. He revealed that he never thought that he would be elected Pope and that in the conclave, when the election was leaning toward him, a co-brother, a Cardinal had passed him a note reminding him that in his homily during the Funeral Mass for John Paul II, he had affirmed that is was a call from the Lord to follow him and that the response should always be yes. Now it was his turn to fulfill what he had said in his homily. Unfortunately, I could not approach him to personally greet him because of the multitude. I gave someone close to him my humble present, my book a compilation of texts of our Founder for the Year of the Eucharist, along with a letter. In it I reminded the Holy Father of his visit to our Matri Ecclesiae Shrine and I assured him that we would take care that the doors and stream of graces from Shrine would always be open to him.

Sunflowers in Belmonte

I had reserved the following afternoon to go to our Shrine and to celebrate Holy Mass for the Holy Father. The Nuno and Abram families were present. Later many persons from the surrounding area arrived to pray the daily rosary. With them, we planted some sunflower seeds on the incline behind our Shrine, so that there will be, "a new springtime in the Church", as Father Michael Gerber and Father Martin Emge suggested in their invitation.I returned from Rome with the hope of a new springtime in the Church.

Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlinge, TX, USA



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