Posted on 03/12/2013 10:54:45 AM PDT by NYer
The microculture typical of the conclave. The effect of the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel upon the cardinal electors. The mysterious sign of Jonah.
ROME, March 12, 2013 – This afternoon, the 115 cardinals who will elect the pope will make their solemn entrance into the Sistine Chapel.
The place in which the conclave will be carried out is unique in the world. And the frescoes upon which the eyes of the cardinal electors will fall will have an effect on them that is also unique.
As Joseph Ratzinger recognized in recalling the conclaves in which he participated:
"I know well how we were exposed to those images in the hours of the great decision, how they called us to task, how they insinuated into our souls a sense of the greatness of the responsibility. The word "con-clave" brings forward the thought of the keys, of the heritage of the keys left to Peter. To place these keys in the right hands: this is the immense responsibility in those days.”
In effect, as soon as the 115 cardinals enter in procession into the Sistine from the Sala Regia, their first glance will fall upon the famous fresco by Perugino with Jesus handing the keys to Peter.
But immediately afterward they will have before their eyes, on the back wall, the Universal Judgment painted by Michelangelo.
And above that the imposing figure of the prophet Jonah, in his turn facing God who is separating the light from the darkness, the first act of creation.
Then the cardinals will take an oath of silence with their hands on the Gospel, with Jonah and the judgment still before them.
Then they will listen to the meditation read by the octogenarian Prosper Grech, a great master of patristics and disciple and scholar of Augustine, the author of that masterpiece of theology which is the “De Civitate Dei."
Then they will pray, and finally they will prepare to vote. Still enveloped in the frescoed walls and vaults of the Sistine Chapel.
In the Sistine the ensemble of images - including those before the frescoes of Michelangelo - speak of the divine origin of the power of the keys given to Peter and to his successors. Keys that open the Kingdom of Heaven.
But the figure in the dominant position, Jonah, entrusted by Pope Julius II to the genius of Michelangelo, says much more.
Jonah is the prophet sent by God to preach conversion to the pagans. He goes, reluctantly, but rebels against the idea that God should use mercy with the repentant city of Nineveh. In the vault of the Sistine he sees that sin accompanies the history of man ever since the flood, and even before, from the days of Adam and Eve. As an upright man he wants the sinner to be punished. But then his glance is fixed on the very first act of God who is creating light. And he understands that God cannot bear that all that he has made from the beginning of the world should be lost, but only wants to save it.
That “sign of Jonah” which Jesus applies to himself in Matthew 12:40 will therefore weigh upon the cardinals gathered to elect the successor of Peter.
Like John, Peter as well and the popes after him are sent by Jesus to preach conversion to men, because “the Kingdom of God is near.” These are the keys of Peter, this is the power of the Church. A power that stems from the creative act of God and will reveal itself fully in the end, in the Judgment of Christ upon men and upon the world.
“To place these keys in the right hands: this is the immense responsibility.” Looking at the paintings of the Sistine Chapel, the cardinals will be aware that their choice does not concern only the Church, but all of creation present and future.
The cardinals who will close themselves up in this space to elect the new pope cannot help but receive the imprint of the art that surrounds them. They cannot help but be overwhelmed by its extraordinary communicative power.
Of this as well is made the microculture that makes a conclave unique event.
From this as well will be born the selection of the successor of Benedict XVI.
Each cardinal will fold his vote twice, stand before this image and say:
"I call as my witness Christ who will judge me".
Wish we could apply the same system in secular elections.
You could see the impact on these cardinals as they stood in line today to take the oath placed on top of the Book of the Gospels. The normally ebullient Cardinal Dolan stared stone faced at each image.
Michelangelo voted here too. In November. In Chicago. 147 times.
Jesus mentions “The Sign of Jonah”, but continued to explain that just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days, so would the Crucified Christ be in the earth for three days and rise again. Whenever Jesus gave a parable or a story, he explained its meaning (sometimes only to the Apostles, but nevertheless). Jesus spoke of the “Sign of Jonah” as the only “sign” given to “this wicked generation”, and it was in response to some Pharisees who were demanding a miracle from Him.
So, YES, we pray that the Conclave will be governed by “The Sign of Jonah”, that is, The Crucified, Buried, and Risen Lord.
Michelangelo painted some magnificent, powerful art, and I am a big fan, but I pray that the only influence on the conclave will be that of Christ.
I pray that, for the sake of my Catholic Brothers and Sisters in Christ, that the conclave chooses a good, conservative man for the papacy.
Having been there, I can attest to the absolute awe and spirituality the fresco brings. I can also attest to many idiot tourists who ignored the “no camera flash” signs and showed very little respect for the chapel itself.
Well, that’s a bucket list item indeed. You are fortunate to have been there. It’s powerful to see not in person, so I can only imagine how much so in person.
Two hymns are chanted from the time the procession begins at the Pauline Chapel until it culminates in the Sistine Chapel. The cardinals chant an ancient hymn, called Veni, Sancte Spiritus. One of the most solemn of Catholic chants, it is used infrequently, and means “Come, Holy Spirit.” With this hymn, the cardinal-electors pray for the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the “Third Person” of the Trinity, or more commonly, God’s spirit, to help them in their deliberations.
Well, of course. As a Trinitarian Believer, I believe in The Holy Spirit ! :-)
The article seemed to indicate that the conclave should be influenced by Michelangelo’s Magnificent artwork. That is why I made my little caveat.
What?! No “Play-in” for Ranjith (Sri lanka)?
Oh ... and Burke should be in the U.S. Bracket instead of O’Malley.
I’m with you. Ranjinth & Burke, mano-a-mano!
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