Posts tagged Vatican

How Conclave Works: All the Rules and Rituals of the Papal Election

This historic conclave, the first in nearly 600 years during which the previous pope is still alive, will begin Tuesday, 12 March. If you read my last conclave post (and kudos to you if you did, considering the length of it), you are now familiar with the history of conclave and how it evolved over the years. Now you want to know exactly what goes on in that secret, boys-only ritual that decides the most influential man in the Catholic world, the successor of St. Peter, and the Vicar of Christ on Earth? Well, read on, dear bloglings, read on.

HistoryTiffany ParksMarch 10, 2013Conclave, Vatican Comments

A Short* History of Conclave

This Tuesday afternoon (5 March 2013), around 1:15pm, the Sistine Chapel closed its doors to the public in preparation for conclave, which, although it has not been officially announced, is expected to begin early next week. (Side note: how cool would it be if the new pope were elected on the Ides of March? I'm mean, we've had enough omens since the Artist Formerly Known as Pope Benedict XVI announced his impending resignation, what's one more?)But before conclave begins, before I go into what exactly it entails, and who the biggest contenders are, I'd like to delve into the history of this sacred ritual.

HistoryTiffany ParksMarch 7, 2013Conclave, Vatican, the borgias Comment

A Pope's Last Stand: The Final Papal Audience of Benedict XVI

On the night of the 1st of April 2005, barely six months after moving to Rome, I stood with my roommates in St. Peter’s Square, holding vigil with thousands of others for Pope John Paul II. It was the night before he died, and the last full day of his papacy. Today, in strangely parallel yet contrasting circumstances, I stood in St. Peter’s Square on the last full day of Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy. But the mood in the crowd was completely different, and no surprise why: no one had died.

HistoryTiffany ParksFebruary 27, 2013VaticanComment

Pope Celestine V, the Other Pope who Resigned

I’ll never forget that phone call. It came around 11am on Monday morning 11 February (just two weeks ago). It was my maritino on the phone. “It’s never happened before! It’s the first time in history….” he shouted down the phone. “WHAT?!” “The pope has resigned!!” or to use his words, “Si è dimesso il papa!!” After expressing the appropriate amount of shock, I couldn’t stop myself from correcting my dashing spouse, “Well, actually, it has happened…at least once. You know, Celestine V?”

HistoryTiffany ParksFebruary 25, 2013Vatican, PopesComment

Rome in the Time of the Borgias: Has Anything Really Changed?

One of my favorite things about April, besides the glorious boughs of cascading wisteria to be seen (and smelt) all over Rome, is that it heralds the start of one of my favorite guilty pleasures, television drama, The Borgias. Following the life of the most notorious pope in history, The Borgias chronicles the intrigues, scandal, and corruption of the 15th-century Vatican court, featuring plenty of greed, violence and impermissible sex.

HistoryTiffany ParksFebruary 21, 2013the borgias, television, Vatican Comment

Inside the Vatican Secret Archive

Those of you who know me well, know that I like to post about a new exhibit if not the day it opens, then at least that same week. As Lux in Arcana: The Vatican Secret Archives Revealed at the Capitoline Museums was the most highly anticipated exhibition of the year (century?) for me, it might be surprising that I have waited so long to write about it. I wrote an article on the exhibit for the Traveller, the Sunday travel magazine of both the Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne Age. Here's an excerpt:

History, ExhibitionsTiffany ParksMarch 17, 2012Vatican, Vatican History, Vatican Secret Archives Comment

The Pines of Rome

A blog exploring Rome's Art, history, culture, customs, quirks, and curiosities