Graphic by Maya Uribe
By Evgeniya Lautt
The Holy See, central governing body of the Catholic Church and the Vatican City, made public the solemn information of the death of His Holiness Pope Francis in the initial hours of April 21 on behalf of the Vatican Press Office. The statement, one of importance to Catholics around the world, was followed by the traditional ceremonial rites on the demise of Pope Francis. Previously, determining the death of a pontiff, highest-ranking priest in Rome, had been done by formally calling upon the baptismal name of the late pope three times, followed by a light tap on the forehead with a silver hammer. But in line with modern medical practice, a definite determination of Francis’ death was confirmed through sophisticated diagnostic equipment, such as electrocardiography, to achieve a medically valid and beyond-a-doubt conclusion of his death. It was afterwards confirmed that Francis had passed away due to a stroke complicated by heart failure. Francis, who was anointed in 2013, died at the age of 88, leaving behind a legacy that will echo through generations.
Francis’ papacy was characterized by a singular pastoral style, expressed in an unwavering devotion to social justice, interfaith dialogue and concern for the earth. Most significantly, he was the first Latin American pope to head the Catholic Church from Argentina with a singular perspective and voice. His experience as the previous Archbishop of Buenos Aires shaped his response to poverty, inequality and the poor–all issues that lay beneath his papal words and actions. In addition to geographical origins, Francis’ papacy was distinguished by its emphasis on humility, accessibility and a renewed emphasis of the missionary mandate of the Church to attend to the poor and vulnerable. His encyclicals, including “Laudato si’ On Care For our Common Home” and “Fratelli Tutti on Fraternity and Social Friendship” spoke to urgent global issues and appealed for a common response grounded in solidarity and compassion.
His attempts at dialogue with the leaders of other religious denominations and also attempts to preach peace and reconciliation did much to endear him to the hearts of the international community. The leadership, characterized as it was by continuity and creativity, will take years before its reverberations will circulate around the Catholic Church and how it sits within the world.
“Angels & Demons” directed by Ron Howard gives a dramatized view of the conventional practices and procedures that follow the death of a pope. The movie shows a chain of incidents from the revelation of the death of the pope to the complicated procedure for choosing a new pope.
In exercising poetic license in the name of the story, the initial scenes allude to some of the sede vacante period’s rituals, which is the time when the position of the pope in the Catholic Church is vacant, typically after the death or resignation of the pope, that are critical during the interregnum of Catholic Church governance. It involves some of the rituals including confirmation of death by authorized persons, sealing of the papal apartments and the making arrangements for the conclave, which involves the gathering of cardinals assembled for the sole purpose of electing the next in line for Saint Peter. The movie’s story, although based on fact, is derived from the ceremonies and tradition of precedent that dictate this seminal moment in the Catholic Church. As the conclave approaches, Catholics around the world will remember Francis’ papacy and legacy.
