When Pope Francis entered St. Peter’s Basilica without his papal cassock, but in a t-shirt and black pants with a poncho type blanket over his upper body, the gesture of a pope stripped of his papal insignia came across to some as a sign of an upcoming renunciation of the papal office.
Pope Francis and those who enabled this gesture of a stripped down pontiff had not anticipated that such rumors and gossip would circulate worldwide especially through the internet and blogs.
Thus on Saturday, the Holy Father visited his favorite basilica in Rome, St. Mary Major, where he intends to be entombed wearing his papal cassock. St. Mary’s is my favorite too.
And today, Palm Sunday, the Holy Father made a surprise visit to St. Peter’s Square following the Palm Sunday Mass there, again wearing the papal cassock. He spoke briefly but with a somewhat improved voice.
Are the rumors of renunciation, created by the Pope himself, now put to rest? Time will tell.
2 comments:
Personally, I have had only slight wondering if he were all there, and had a wait and see attitude....but of late, including the blanket appearance, he seems simply a sick and frail old man with a lot more health problems than the Vatican lets on, and him as competent as any pope on last legs, and him in it for the short haul.
Why would he renounce the papacy at this late date?
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