POPE FRANCISCUS

As the reader knows, I am not a Roman Catholic by religion. But the election of the new Argentinian-born Pope Franciscus  today is by no means a religious event exclusively, but in many ways a political and even a world-historical event. There are several indications that despite the new Pontiff’s advanced age, this will be an earth-shaking world event, at that.

The new Pope is a sincere Jesuit, which makes him a Christian socialist by definition. Roman Catholicism has been so far terribly short on the Christian socialist promise, but this new Pope, on the very first day of his election, has indicated, to me, that the Vatican’s business as usual, and a rather reprehensible adherence to the worldly status quo, may not be skeptically and cynically taken for granted anymore.

To begin with (according to Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York), right after his election, the new Pope addressed the gathered Cardinals rather unconventionally, albeit subtly, with the words “May God forgive you,” and it would be blasphemous to interpret this as a joke, as the media do. How many Popes in history have told this to unrepentant heretics before having them burned at the stake? I have no recollection of this phrase having ever been said to the whole conclave of Who’s Who of Roman Catholicism... Not that such a phrase should be inconceivable, under the circumstances. On the contrary, according to the basic Catholic doctrine, even the saints are hopeless sinners in desperate need of God’s forgiveness, but tell it to the royalty of the Church! In other words, this is a perfectly Christian, but all the more shocking phrase, originating from the newly elected Pope, and if it was ever said, under similar circumstances, in the last two thousand years, I beg the reader to correct the record of my admittedly imperfect memory…

Having said it, however, this is not the most astonishing phrase uttered by the new Pope on the first day of his enthronement. In my opinion, here is the most remarkable thing we have heard from His Holiness in his own words to the public gathered on St. Peter’s Square today, faithfully translated into English:

“…As you know the duty of the conclave is to give Rome a bishop. It seems that my brother cardinals went almost to the end of the world.”

As a Russian Orthodox Christian, I was struck by these words. All Russian Orthodox Christians recognize the legitimacy of the Bishop of Rome, and as a matter of fact are willing to recognize him as a major international figure as well. It is only the claim of Catholic supremacy over the whole Christian world that causes our vehement objection. By his reference to his new role as the Bishop of Rome, rather than the Papa of all Christians, the new Shepherd of Roman Catholicism explicitly made his Church acceptable to the Eastern Orthodox, which may not be a very big thing in-itself, but is a huge promise of possible good things to come. Advocacy of moral behavior, Christian socialism, and Christian unity,--- what could be better than this for the new Pope?

Salve, Francisce!