Currently, as I type, Pope Benedict XVI is giving his homily to the faithful during his Installation Mass. During this Mass, the Pontiff is given the Pallium and the Fisherman’s Ring.
The Pallium is a band that is placed over the shoulder of a metropolitan archbishop that has two pendants that hangs down in front and back. It is a symbol of authority (hense why it is given to metropolitan archbishops and not all archbishops) and those who have similar jursidictional authority. The Fisherman’s Ring is a ring that has a image of Peter casting the net on it that represents the Pontiff’s authority as Pope.
Pope Benedict XVI’s homily, still ongoing, is mostly an examination of these symbols. Personally, I can better understand something when I read it so it sounds great, but I’ll better reflect (either personally or via this) after reading the Vatican release of it.
To this point, the Mass started with a long procession of the cardinals present with the Pope. The Kyrie and Gloria was sung followed by the Liturgy of the Word. The Gospel was sung twice, once in Latin and once in Greek. Following the Gospel, various prayers were recited and the Pope was given the Pallium and the Ring. Then various people representing the cardinals, bishops, religious and laity approached the Pope, kissed his ring and pledged themselves to unity with the Pope. Then His Holiness began his homily.
I haven’t seen a program for this Mass (seems not to be on the Vatican website) but it appears to mostly follow the standard Installation Mass. If so, I expect the rest of Mass will be celebrated in the usual way: maybe the creed, prayers of the faithful and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
The Pallium is a band that is placed over the shoulder of a metropolitan archbishop that has two pendants that hangs down in front and back. It is a symbol of authority (hense why it is given to metropolitan archbishops and not all archbishops) and those who have similar jursidictional authority. The Fisherman’s Ring is a ring that has a image of Peter casting the net on it that represents the Pontiff’s authority as Pope.
Pope Benedict XVI’s homily, still ongoing, is mostly an examination of these symbols. Personally, I can better understand something when I read it so it sounds great, but I’ll better reflect (either personally or via this) after reading the Vatican release of it.
To this point, the Mass started with a long procession of the cardinals present with the Pope. The Kyrie and Gloria was sung followed by the Liturgy of the Word. The Gospel was sung twice, once in Latin and once in Greek. Following the Gospel, various prayers were recited and the Pope was given the Pallium and the Ring. Then various people representing the cardinals, bishops, religious and laity approached the Pope, kissed his ring and pledged themselves to unity with the Pope. Then His Holiness began his homily.
I haven’t seen a program for this Mass (seems not to be on the Vatican website) but it appears to mostly follow the standard Installation Mass. If so, I expect the rest of Mass will be celebrated in the usual way: maybe the creed, prayers of the faithful and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
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