And once again, many world leaders will gather in Rome to witness this grande affare, where history will be made, as the first American and Peruvian will be formally installed at the head of the Catholic Church, the leader of 1.2 Billion Catholics, the Bishop of Rome, the Vicar of Christ.
He has shown, thus far, he will move the Church more toward its central, core values. But he may keep some of his predecessor’s less strident liberal, social justice tendencies.
Francis was a Jesuit, Liberation Theology (a religious socialist zealot) was his mantra; Leo is an Augustinian, emphasizing the role of divine grace in salvation, the importance of the Bible as the highest authority, and the concept of original sin. We will see how it plays out.
Expected world leaders planning to attend Leo’s coronation include Vice President Vance, President Zelenskyy, Prime Ministers Carney and Meloni, Prince William, many of the Cardinals who elected him and 250,000 faithful.
It is truly a world event. The Pope's installation ceremony, while historically extravagant, has seen a shift towards simplicity in recent times. The ceremony will still involve traditional rituals and symbols, but the level of pomp and pageantry is less pronounced than in the past. The ceremony will feature a Mass, the presentation of the papal symbols (like the Fisherman's Ring and the pallium, an ecclesiastical vestment in the Catholic Church), and a procession through St. Peter's Square.
It will begin at 10 AM, local Rome time, 4 AM EDT, and will be televised world-wide. It is expected to last two hours.
Whether you are Catholic or not, it will be a history-making event. It is not something which happens every day or even every year.
Considering his age, and assuming he is in reasonably good health, Leo will be Pope for many years. Twenty or more.
Goditi i festeggiamenti! Enjoy the festivities!
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