"Thank You – Let Us Return to Prayer": For the Last Time, The Pope Leaves the Altar

WITL ^ | February 13, 2012 | Rocco Palmo

[NYer]

Even for two millenia of a very full, yet never boring history, the Catholic Church has never seen a moment like this.

Remember, folks – the "new" St Peter's Basilica was only opened some three centuries after the last time a Pope resigned.

As prelates and people alike were seen fighting back tears, here are the closing moments of Benedict XVI's final turn at the Altar of the Confession (homily), a site literally upon the "rock" on which the papacy – and the church it guides – is built....


In a spontaneous move out of deference to Joseph Ratzinger's impending departure from Peter's Chair, as Benedict departed his "home church" for the last time, the Sistine Choir burst into Palestrina's setting of the Roman pontiff's mandate – Jesus' exhortation from the 16th chapter of St Matthew's Gospel....

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.

And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Of course, the tail-end of those words now ring the dome of the Vatican Basilica... and roughly a month from now, even before the cardinals' choice dons the white robes that come with his election, the Conclave's senior deacon will proclaim those words while standing before Peter's 265th successor – the new Pope.

[NYer]

Video at above link.

[mlizzy]

That was very beautiful, thank you, but... tears, tears...

Last year, through the grace of God (and a wonderful woman who planted the seed), I spent one hour at Adoration every day of Lent. This year, having moved too far from the Chapel, I asked our new priest if I could stay after Mass and pray for an hour and he agreed that I could. "...Let Us Return to Prayer" indeed!

[publius911]

Who writes this stuff?
All Catholic Masses are officiated before an altar. Not all altars are public. I doubt strongly that the Pope has "left the altar" for the last time.

[stfassisi]

Last year, through the grace of God (and a wonderful woman who planted the seed), I spent one hour at Adoration every day of Lent. This year, having moved too far from the Chapel, I asked our new priest if I could stay after Mass and pray for an hour and he agreed that I could. "...Let Us Return to Prayer" indeed!

God Bless You, mlizzy

From the words of Pope Benedict XVI..

"In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host. Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it to the faithful. It is a source of comfort and light, particularly to those who are suffering." “With the Synod Assembly, therefore, I heartily recommend to the Church’s pastors and to the People of God the practice of Eucharistic Adoration, both individually and in community…Great benefit would ensue from a suitable catechesis explaining the importance of this act of worship, which enables the faithful to experience the liturgical celebration more fully and more fruitfully. Wherever possible, it would be appropriate, especially in densely populated areas, to set aside specific churches or oratories for Perpetual Adoration.”(Pope Benedict XVI, February 22, 2007, Sacramentum Caritatis, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation)

[NYer]

All Catholic Masses are officiated before an altar. Not all altars are public. I doubt strongly that the Pope has "left the altar" for the last time.

This was his last public mass; hence the concept of "leaving the altar". It is understood that phrase refers to his public masses at the altar in St. Peter's.

[mlizzy]

Beautiful! Thank you very much. :)

[Gumdrop]

Technically the home church of the Bishop of Rome is St John Latern, not St. Peter’s Basilica.

The title of “Pope” is reserved for the Bishop of Rome, so when the next pontiff is elected and consecrated, he will become the next Bishop of Rome as well as the Pope, successor to St Peter.

[Salvation]

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