Wednesday, December 8, Second Week of Advent
Some familiar paintings: From left, by Carlo Crivelli; 2 by El Greco; 2 by Esteban Murillo (who painted 4); 2 by Francisco Zurbaran (who had 3); and by Giambattista Tiepolo.
SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
This has been a major Church feast since 1476 when Pope Sixtus IV made it a religious holiday,
but it was not until 1854 when Pope Pius IX formally proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, as follows:
We declare, pronounce and define that the doctrine which holds that the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the first instant of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace of the Omnipotent God, in virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind, was preserved immaculate from all stain of original sin, has been revealed by God, and therefore should firmly and constantly be believed by all the faithful.
—Pope Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, December 8, 1854
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/nab/readings/120810.shtml
OR today.
From left: The Sala dell'Immacolata at the Vatican; Benedict XVI with Rev. Tyjke, who heads the World Council of Churches; and the solar panels on the roof of the Aula Paolo VI.
No papal news in today's issue. The main story on Page 1 presents startling data from the annual report on rural poverty from the International Fund for Agricultural Development saying that 1.4 billion people in the world live in absolute poverty today (on less that $1.25 a day), of which 1 billion, or 70%, are people in rural areas, despite the fact that in the past 10 years, 350-million people have been raised from absolute poverty level. One of the virtues of the OR under Vian is that it plays up these annual reports that give us an idea of the extent of the world's basic problems. Page 1 also has an essay on the Mary's Immaculate Conception as the celebration of the world full of grace as it had been originally conceived by God, and an essay on the beautiful Sala dell'Immacolata in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, which was decorated by Francesco Podesti in 1856-1965, inspired by Raphael's painting style. In the inside pages, a report on progress in the ecumenical dialog with the Protestant churches following the Pope's recent meeting with the new Secretary General of the World Council of churches, and a report of the first two years of the Vatican's solar power generation using the panels installed on the roof of the Aula Paolo VI.
THE POPE'S DAY
No General Audience today because it is a major religious holiday.
But the Pope led a holiday Angelus at noon, and is scheduled to pay
the traditional papal homage at the Immacolata pillar in Piazza di Spagna
this afternoon.
Pope's condolence on the death
of 7 Italian cyclists yesterday
Pope Benedict has sent a telegram of condolence to Bishop Luigi Antonio Cantafora of Lamazia Terme in Italy following a tragic road accident on Sunday which killed 7 people.
In the telegram signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, the Holy Father expressed his spiritual closeness to the families who have lost loved ones.
He also prayed that the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary will provide comfort to the whole community at this difficult time.
The Holy Father will be making a pastoral visit to Lamezia Terme in southwest Italy on Oct. 9, 2011.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 08/12/2010 16:10]