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I am thinking here particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency. The most should be made of these occasions. In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, (182) that, with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, it is fitting that such liturgies be celebrated in Latin.

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The antique chasuble was really beautiful, but it did not seem appropriate for the occasion. The Pope was stripped of all the usual signs of his office - the ring, the staff, the pallium, he even takes his shoes off at one stage - but he wore a very lush and luxurious vestment which seemed more appropriate for a Feast Day. The other accessories were lush too - a golden throne covered in red velvet, a gilded prie-dieu with plump red cushions, deacons in sparkly red and gold dalmatics. It was all very gorgeous in the strictest sense of the word. I am used to austerity at the Passion, even in St Peter's, but I suppose this looked better on TV.

The Coat of Arms - perhaps the coat of arms on the Tridentinum vestments are unique to that firm. Something similar appears on the throne, presumably because the Pope's shield has been inserted into the space under the tiara in place of the original.

Has the Pope finally put down his red shod foot and said "Basta! No more tiaras on my crest!"?

Well, Rcesq, I suppose he might have. We shall just have to wait and see.


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As far as I can see from the pictures the events at Savona and Genoa were not over the top. The throne used at Genoa was a bit of a monster, but everything around it was white and in that outdoor context it was not too overwhelming. I would not like to see the Pope perched on such a gigantic piece too often.

Heading into the U.S. bishops' spring meeting in Orlando, it didn't seem likely that a proposed new translation of the Proper of Seasons, part of the prayers and other texts for the Catholic Mass, would stir up much dust. Following a decade and a half of impassioned argument over such texts known colloquially as the "liturgy wars," many bishops privately expressed fatigue and a desire to move on - suggesting to most observers that approval of this text ought to be more or less a given.

In one sign of that mood, only seven bishops out of 250 Latin Rite prelates in the United States even bothered to propose amendments to the text, a clear sign that most felt the handwriting was on the wall. Like it or not, many concluded, Rome has made clear that the new translations must be closer to the Latin, both in structure and word choice, thus producing a more "sacral" language sometimes remote from ordinary English usage.

All that changed this morning, however, when Bishop Victor Galeone of Saint Augustine, Florida, rose to oppose the proposed text -- despite, he said, fear that doing so may be "in vain." A former Latin teacher who still reads Thomas Aquinas in the original language, Galeone made a forceful argument that the new translation is simply too unclear and awkward to be effectively used in American parishes.

Among other things, Galeone cited the text's use of the phrase "the gibbet of the Cross."

"The last time I heard that word was back in 1949, during Stations of the Cross in Lent," Galeone said.

"I challenge anyone to proclaim what's given here at Mass," he said. "It's very difficult."

"A good translator has to understand not just the original language, but also one's own into which these texts are being put," Galeone said. Despite assurances to the contrary, he said, the new texts are "slavish" with respect to the Latin originals.

"I'm an obedient son of the church, and if these texts are passed as they stand, I will pray with them," Galeone said. "But I feel that the vernacular has been a blessing to our people." Galeone added that with "all due respect" to the recent ruling from Pope Benedict XVI authorizing wider celebration of the old Latin Mass, he hasn't celebrated the old rite since 1970. If he were asked to do so today, he said, he would instead celebrate the new rite of the Mass in Latin.

Galeone's speech seemed to open the floodgates, as other bishops rose to voice reservations about the new translations.

USCCB: Dramatic debate, cliffhanger result on liturgy