The Consistory adapts to the time of the pandemic

Gianluca Biccini – Vatican City

Consistory at the time of Covid-19: respect tradition, but also take into account social distance and other measures necessary to avoid the spread of contagion. According to what explains the Office of the Liturgical Celebrations of the Sovereign Pontiff (Ucepo), like all the celebrations in this pandemic period, the rite of the creation of new cardinals will be celebrated at the altar of the Chair of Saint Peter’s Basilica, and not on the altar of confession; and, consequently, with a very low participation of the faithful: a hundred more or less.

Reduction of participants

Therefore, the rendezvous that traditionally attracts clergymen and faithful from all five continents – the new cardinals with their families and friends, as well as the cardinals and members of the College of Cardinals – was set by Pope Francis for 4 in the afternoon of Saturday, November 28, at the start of the new liturgical year. The next day’s Mass was also confirmed, which the Pope will concelebrate with the new cardinals at the same location at 10 a.m. on the first Sunday of Advent.

Both celebrations will take place with a very limited number of people: laity, consecrated persons, priests and bishops linked to the newly created cardinals. In this regard, tickets issued by the Prefecture of the Pontifical House will be reserved only for those accompanying ecclesiastics and, consequently, other people may not be present at both events.

Masks yes, courtesy visits no

In addition, in accordance with the regulations in force aimed at countering the circulation of the coronavirus, even in the ordinary public Consistory for the creation of new cardinals – the seventh of the pontificate of Bergoglio – it will be compulsory to wear a mask and the only real liturgical novelty. will be the omission of the embrace of peace that new cardinals normally receive from other cardinals of an older creation.

For the rest, the Saturday celebration will take place as usual, with the presence also of the parish priests and rectors of the titular churches entrusted to the new cardinals: the first of them, in this case the Maltese Mario Grech, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, will be responsible for directing salvation to the Holy Father. And concerning the rites of the imposition of the cardinal’s cap, as well as the delivery of the ring and the attribution of the cardinal bull; These will take place, as is usually done, in front of the Pontiff, according to Ucepo.

However, in accordance with the provisions currently in force, the usual courtesy visits during these celebrations will not take place. Therefore, the traditional meeting where friends and acquaintances will pay homage to the “new cardinals” in certain rooms of the Apostolic Palace and in the Paul VI room, will not be possible.

Connected far away

Finally, the current urgency will affect the participation, in the first place, of those who are directly interested: of the thirteen announced by the Pope to the Angelus on October 25, only eleven will be present, since the two Asians – the Filipino José Fort Advincula, Archbishop of Capiz, and Cornelius Sim, Apostolic Vicar of Brunei have already announced that they will not be able to travel, due to “the contingent health situation”.

In this regard, the press office of the Holy See announced that the two would “also be cardinals created in the Consistory”. A representative of the Holy Father, at another time yet to be determined, will present them with the cardinal’s cap, the ring and the bull of the cardinal creation. It should be noted that for other reasons, also related to health conditions and advanced age, there have been at least five “new cardinals” who could not receive the Pope’s badge: Sebastián Koto Khoarai, from Lesotho, in 2016; the Colombian José de Jesús Pimiento Rodríguez, in 2015; the Italians Loris Capovilla, in 2014, and Alberto Bovone, in 1998, and the French Dominican Yves Congar in 1994.

Likewise, many members of the College of Cardinals who will not be able to reach Rome will join the celebration, participating remotely from their own headquarters, via a digital platform that will allow them to connect with the Vatican Basilica.