The vivacity of Rome reaches its absolute fullest during Holy Week. The streets bustle with pilgrims jaunting from church to church, captivated with the sanctity of the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. These pilgrims converge from every corner of the world in order to take part in the ceremonies for the most important week of the Catholic liturgical calendar. Holy Week serves not only as one of the greatest opportunities to witness the congregation of the world’s Catholic faithful but also provides an excellent example of how the Church retains its tradition while still evolving in a conservatively innovative manner.
This thought first struck me while I was sitting amidst a hysterical crowd reaching over the banisters in a vain effort to touch the Pope as he rode by on his Popemobile on Easter Sunday. A few days before Easter I sat through a lecture on the pervasive Roman practice of litter bearers carrying Roman elite aloft upon their sedan chairs. This practice was carried on by Roman Catholic popes in the form of the sedia gestatoria, an ornate throne used by popes to pass above the crowds. This seat was not solely for the comfort of the pop,e but also for the consideration of the masses as it lifted the pope into a visibly prominent position providing the throngs of people in the streets with the opportunity to lay eyes upon the leader of their faith. Advancements in the world of technology inevitably phased out the need for the sedia gestatoria, yet the modern Popemobile still fulfills the functions that the litter was designed for as it makes mobility for the Pope easy amongst the fawning crowds who long for that chance to behold the Pope in the flesh.
This conservative innovativeness can also be seen in the way that the Pope addresses his flock. During the Easter Vigil the service was run mostly in Latin, as it has been since the Romans. Yet interspersed throughout the service speakers from every continent arose to do readings in the native tongues of their homelands. Languages ranging from English, to Chinese, to Swahili were represented. In this way, the Church is able to relay its message in languages that reach a much broader audience without necessarily losing the Latin element that is an integral part of the Church tradition.
Some may argue that the Catholic Church’s insistence upon retaining so much of their tradition is a testament to how the Church refuses to accept the realities of the modern world; however I respectfully disagree. I believe that tradition is an integral aspect of the Catholic Church. It is what binds Catholics from all over the world through the ages. The Catholic tradition is what makes the religious art that is scattered throughout Rome so moving to many Catholics even today. Although these works were completed hundreds of years ago, they touch upon themes and stories that are still important to modern Catholics.
Sure the stance of the Catholic Church to many issues facing the world today may seem antiquated; however, it is in line with the general conservative innovativeness that the Catholic Church takes in their advancements. They are not opposed to moving forward, but they are not entirely comfortable leaving things behind. When they make changes they ensure that these changes are in keeping with the 2,000 year history of the Church rather than what seems advantageous on that particular day.
Louis DiPaola graduated from Georgetown College with a classical languages and government double major. Originally from Elizabeth, New Jersey, he wrote for the Junior Year Abroad Network from Rome, Italy during the spring 2011 semester.
