Posted on 02/26/2014 1:26:02 PM PST by mgist
Ill omen? Pope’s doves of peace for Ukraine attacked by angry birds (PHOTOS) Published time: January 26, 2014 19:23 Edited time: January 27, 2014 10:39 Get short URL Pope Francis (C) watches as children release doves during the Angelus prayer in Saint Peter's square at the Vatican January 26, 2014 (Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi)
Pope Francis on Sunday prayed for the start of a “constructive dialogue” in Ukraine, releasing two white doves to symbolize the hope for peace. However, the doves were immediately attacked by a crow and a seagull.
Addressing tens of thousands of people gathered in Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square for the Pope’s weekly Angelus prayer, the pontiff said that his thoughts and prayers were with the victims of the Ukrainian unrest.
“I am close to Ukraine in prayer, in particular to those who have lost their lives in recent days and to their families,” Pope Francis said.
He then raised hopes for a “constructive dialogue between the institutions and civil society,” urging both sides to avoid violence and reminding that “the spirit of peace and a search for the common good” should be “in the hearts of all.”
In a symbolic peace gesture, two white doves were then released by children standing alongside Pope Francis.
But as soon as the birds took off, they were immediately attacked by a crow and a seagull.
The crowd gasped as one dove broke free from its seagull attacker, losing some feathers in the process. The other was less fortunate and was repeatedly pecked at by the crow before flying away.
A dove released during an Angelus prayer conducted by Pope Francis, is attacked by a seagull in Saint Peter's square at the Vatican January 26, 2014 (Reuters / Alessandro Bianchi)
It is not clear what happened to the doves after onlookers lost sight of them.
Social networks immediately exploded with comments and interpretations of the incident; some perceived it as an “ill omen” while others simply described the situation as ironic.
Hundreds of protesters and police officers have been injured in violent riots in Ukraine. Investigators have been searching for shooters who, in separate incidents this week, killed several rioters and one policeman with rounds suitable for a sporting gun.
Amazing photos. Apparently this had never before. When God sends a sign, we have to listen.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2014/01/that-attack-on-the-popes-doves.html
That Attack on the Pope’s Doves
January 27, 2014 By Fr. Dwight Longenecker Leave a Comment
I was in St Peter’s Square yesterday for the Angelus and witnessed the children releasing doves from the window of the Apostolic Palace with Pope Francis.
Everyone gasped as a crow and a seagull swooped in to attack the pope’s doves. The Guardian has the story here.
Was this an omen? Here is one interpretation: The black crow reminded me of the raven in Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem The Raven. The raven is a symbol of darkness, death and sin. A carrion bird of doom, the black crow represents the attack of Satan, sin and death on the white birds of hope and innocence released by the white clad vicar of Christ and two children.
What about the seagull? Do you remember the seagull that perched ominously on the chimney the day Pope Francis was elected? Seagulls are horrible birds. Scavengers with a loud cry like a crow’s, they are aggressive, territorial and greedy. The seagull reminded me of another poem: Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. In this poem a sailor kills an albatross and the sailors–lost at sea–hang the albatross around his neck as they are becalmed and one by one descend into starvation and death. The albatross is therefore a symbol of sin and guilt.
So what was the sign in St Peter’s Square yesterday? The Holy Father releasing into the world the symbols of peace and forgiveness–releasing into the world the signs of the gospel of God, the symbol of the Holy Spirit–the white dove. But the dove is attacked by the forces of Satan–the powers of darkness, death and destruction and also attacked by the power of sin and guilt.
The Doves of Peace Release were for the Ukraine
If it takes a great international war to see the liberals in this country forced from power, then let the day come.
LOL! That’s just plain bad!
Thanks for the laugh. I needed it.
Well, then...........
ARM THE DOVES!
It seems if he could not save his doves from death, this is an anti-miracle.
This means this pope is starting his quest for veneration before the Saint Committee in the negative.
At this point, it will take at least 3 fake miracles to qualify...
With a runaway seal?? haha
It does seem like we are under attack.
So does the Seagull represent Muslims and the crow represents gays? Or vice versa?
if he’s looking for peace, he should call for the US Armed Forces - where they go peace follows - that is, if you can keep the politicians off their backs.
if he’s looking for peace, he should call for the US Armed Forces - where they go peace follows - that is, if you can keep the politicians off their backs.
No both birds were viciously attacked by vicious predatory birds, and they both escaped alive.
I think we have to remember that God is in charge and we know who wins this war. Prayers friends.
Other than working for Satan, is there any reason why a crow and seagull would randomly attack doves on sight?
“No both birds were viciously attacked by vicious predatory birds, and they both escaped alive.”
I would catagorize them as scavengers and not predators and until this incident had not heard of them attacking adult birds. Of course this happened in Italy so maybe they worked for the mob and doves owed them money.
“No both birds were viciously attacked by vicious predatory birds, and they both escaped alive.”
“vicious predatory birds???”
These are the birds God created. If the doves escaped, don’t you care about feeding the hungry??
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