Thursday, December 17
The raising of Lazarus from heh dead has been a popular subject for painters through the ages, Top panel, from left - Giotto, 1304; Duccio, 1319, Sebastiano del Piombo, 1517; a Greek icon; a Russian icon.
Bottom panel, from left - Caravaggio, 1609; Rembrandt, 1630; Van Gogh, 1898; Ian Pollock, 2000; and the tomb of Lazarus.
ST. LAZARUS OF BETHANY, Friend of Jesus, Brother of Martha and Mary
The Jews said of him, "See how much he loved him", after Jesus raised him back to life in their sight. Legends abound of what happened to Lazarus after the death and resurrection of Christ. most claiming that he and his sisers ended up in Europe (Cyprus or Gaul) where he served as bishop until he died. Today, the 'tomb of Lazarus'
(extreme right photo, bottom panel) continues to be a pilgrimage place on the West Bank on the site of the historical Bethany.
OR today.
Illustration: 'Boah building the ARk', Stained-glass panel, Chartres Cathedral.
At the General Audience, the Pope on the English medieval theologian
John of Salisbury:
'Equitable laws are those that respect life and promote solidarity'
Other Page 1 stories: An editorial 'Who are we saving the environment for?' commenting
on the ecocentrism of the Copenhagen conference on climate change; and 50,000
evacuated from the vicinity of Mayon Volcano in the Philippines feared to erupt soon.
Sidebars on post-audience events yesterday (bottom photos) in the inside pages.
THE POPE'S DAY
At 7:30 a.m., the Holy Father celebrated Mass at the Redemptoris Mater Chapel to mark the 90th birthday
of Cardinal Thomas Spidlik, S.J. Homily in Italian.
Later he met with
- New ambasaadorS from Denmark, Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Finland, and Latvia,
who presented their credentials. Address in various languages to each of them, and an address
to all of them in French.
- Bishops of Belarus (Byelorussia) on ad limina visit (Group 2), then all of them together.
Address in Byelorussian.
And at 5:00 p.m.
- Vespers and meeting with the university students of Rome - Traditional pre-Christmas encounter
at St. Peter's Basilica.
The Vatican also announced that
- the Holy Father has accepted the resignation of the Bishop of Limerick, Donal Brendan Murray,
one of those named in the recent Irish government report to have covered up incidents of child abuse
by priests.
- the Holy Father has taken away the clerical status of former Archbishop of Lusaka, Emmanuel Milingo.
Full statement posted below.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 18/12/2009 14:25]