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Afiche de la diocesis de Roma Poster of the diocese of Rome Plakat der Diözese Rom |
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Juan Pablo II y Benedicto XVI, juntos Together: John Paul II, and Benedict XVI Zusammen: Johannes Paul II und Benedikt XVI Fotos: Donnelly © 2005 |
ROME, Simon Donnelly. If you walk around Rome, especially in the area of the Vatican, but throughout the tourist areas generally, you will see two popes: kind of like ‘little Pope’ and ‘big Pope’, depending on the size of their pictures.
The image of John Paul is still on posters from the Diocese of Rome thanking him, and saying goodbye to him, and his face is also on calendars and postcards. But there are many new posters, all over the city, also from the Diocese of Rome, welcoming her new Bishop: Cardinal Ratzinger—Pope Benedict—smiles and waves at us from these new pictures.
Spontaneous Catholic culture and civilisation
Many tourist shops still display John Paul’s face and image. Cynics may say, with a little justification, that these shops simply need to clear their merchandise with our departed Pope’s image on it. But it is also much more than that: there is a real feeling that the city (and perhaps the world) does not want to let go of Karol Wojtyla. We know he is dead, and that we have buried him. But when the father or brother that you love so much suddenly dies, he doesn’t leave your heart at once, to be replaced by another close family member. He lives on. And I would say that many of the shops and restaurants still have pictures of Pope John Paul because they loved him and still love him. Italians are very expressive of their faith. For me, coming from a largely Anglo-Saxon background, where Catholicism is a real minority, we are not used to such a public display of faith, and of love for the person of the Holy Father. It is beautiful to see. This is a piece of spontaneous Catholic culture and civilisation: a joy to witness and be part of.
A new springtime of our faith
In some shops, ‘big Pope’ is John Paul, and the newer pictures of Pope Benedict are still small. In other restaurants and shops, John Paul is the ‘little Pope’, receding from our midst, as Benedict assumes his fuller place, in a larger picture. Whatever the case, Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict are in many places together for us to see, to smile and wave at, to say a little prayer for.
I think it is apt, that the two men, who shared so much together for so long, now even get to share space on street poles and in shop windows.
April was our month of two Popes, a month that requires much reflection on our part, much prayer, much renewal of our Catholic faith. It is a wonderful moment that God has given us: a new springtime of our faith. May we not be slow to take advantage of it!