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Catholics: Your views on new pope
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Whom to Garb
- sarahbrowngb, CNN iReport producer
"...for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” (1 Sam 16:7)
The big headline today in almost every major daily is the Conclave that begins this evening. The past days have seen a lot questions and speculations regarding the election of the pope. The question, however, that is in the lips of everyone is the one that is most basic: "Who will be the next pope?" For a shop named Gammarelli, the question is: "Whom do we garb?"
Yesterday, March 11, I accompanied another priest, a friend and colleague, who wanted to take a short walk from school to see the shop of the official tailor of the pope. It has served in this capacity for more than 200 years. This is one of the places where journalists have flocked the past few days. However, all the vestments that were once on display in its window have been taken away and there remains only the white zucchetto (skull cap) of the pope guarded by a miniature Swiss guard doll.
The lonely skull cap was therefore the main subject of my camera. It stands as a symbol of why the whole world is looking at Rome in these important days. On whose head will this zucchetto rest?
So many names, so many so-called papabili, identified by the so-called Vatican analysts. So many side stories to this conclave, some even profaning this sacred event by turning it into a betting game, with bookmakers offering the odds.
All the talk about the papabili and who should be pope, whether he should be progressive or conservative, to a certain point becomes nauseating because it offers a lot of distraction. The papacy becomes more of a popularity contest than anything else. Furthermore, it measures the perceived qualities of one who should take the office of Supreme Pontiff as totally empirical, forgetting that his primary role is to be the spiritual leader, to be shepherd to a huge flock.
It is interesting to note in many of the conclaves in history, those who have been seen by frontrunners were not elected and thus arose the dictum "He who enters the conclave a pope leaves it a cardinal." For the real kingmaker is not among those who look at the outward appearance, but Him who looks on the heart.
Pictures:
1) The lonely zucchetto at Gammarelli;
2) journalists at the tailor shop;
3) at the door of the shop;
4) the Swiss guard in its post;
5) one of the famous shops in Rome;
6) Fr. Den Mark Malabuyoc, Filipino priest, giving an interview to Argentinian journalists;
7) Gammarelli: the tailor shop for churchmen;
8) number 34 (address of the shop);
9) via di S. Chiara (address of the shop).
The big headline today in almost every major daily is the Conclave that begins this evening. The past days have seen a lot questions and speculations regarding the election of the pope. The question, however, that is in the lips of everyone is the one that is most basic: "Who will be the next pope?" For a shop named Gammarelli, the question is: "Whom do we garb?"
Yesterday, March 11, I accompanied another priest, a friend and colleague, who wanted to take a short walk from school to see the shop of the official tailor of the pope. It has served in this capacity for more than 200 years. This is one of the places where journalists have flocked the past few days. However, all the vestments that were once on display in its window have been taken away and there remains only the white zucchetto (skull cap) of the pope guarded by a miniature Swiss guard doll.
The lonely skull cap was therefore the main subject of my camera. It stands as a symbol of why the whole world is looking at Rome in these important days. On whose head will this zucchetto rest?
So many names, so many so-called papabili, identified by the so-called Vatican analysts. So many side stories to this conclave, some even profaning this sacred event by turning it into a betting game, with bookmakers offering the odds.
All the talk about the papabili and who should be pope, whether he should be progressive or conservative, to a certain point becomes nauseating because it offers a lot of distraction. The papacy becomes more of a popularity contest than anything else. Furthermore, it measures the perceived qualities of one who should take the office of Supreme Pontiff as totally empirical, forgetting that his primary role is to be the spiritual leader, to be shepherd to a huge flock.
It is interesting to note in many of the conclaves in history, those who have been seen by frontrunners were not elected and thus arose the dictum "He who enters the conclave a pope leaves it a cardinal." For the real kingmaker is not among those who look at the outward appearance, but Him who looks on the heart.
Pictures:
1) The lonely zucchetto at Gammarelli;
2) journalists at the tailor shop;
3) at the door of the shop;
4) the Swiss guard in its post;
5) one of the famous shops in Rome;
6) Fr. Den Mark Malabuyoc, Filipino priest, giving an interview to Argentinian journalists;
7) Gammarelli: the tailor shop for churchmen;
8) number 34 (address of the shop);
9) via di S. Chiara (address of the shop).
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