Urbi et orbi
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Under Urbi sorbic et ( latin ; German , the city ( Rome ) and the globe ' ) refers to the apostolic blessing of the Pope , the latter in particular formal manner to Easter to Christmas issued as newly elected Pope and immediately after its first public appearance. Linguistically, the term Urbi et orbi is a play on words ( Paronomasia ) and a homoioteleuton .
term
The term developed from the ancient Roman empire consciousness. It is supposed to express the fact that the Pope is both bishop of Rome ( urbi = dative form to urbs = city) and head of the Catholic Church . The Greek word for catholic, καθολικός, means all-embracing. Thus, so to speak, the whole world ( orbi = dative form to orbis = globe ) is included.
The formula is found correspondingly more frequently in the linguistic usage of the Catholic Church, for example in the inscription on the Lateran basilica , according to which this church is omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput : mother and head of all churches in the city and the world.
The ritual of the papal blessing Urbi et orbi developed in the 13th century . Its use probably goes back to the investiture of the new Pope with the words investio te de Papatu Romano, ut praesis urbi et orbi ("I clothe you with the Roman papal dignity so that you may preside over the city and the world"), the phrase itself can already be found in Ovid: gentibus est aliis tellus data limine certo: / Romanae spatium est urbis et orbis idem. ("Other peoples have an area with fixed borders: only with the Roman does the city coincide with the world", Fasti II, 684).
The dispensation of the blessing
The place of donation
With the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Boniface VIII , the blessing was given from the north loggia of the Lateran basilica . On the occasion of the Holy Year 1300 , when up to a million pilgrims came to Rome, the latter donated the blessing with the tiara on the head, which was enlarged to two crowns in the course of the investiture dispute. Donating the blessing from the north loggia of the papal episcopal church was an idea that was adopted from the ordinance of the Mass that was common in Rome at the time: Just as the gospel was read out during mass on the north side of the high altar to "light the word" to shine symbolically in the direction of the compass, in which the sun never shines underground, the Pope's blessing should also bring light into the darkness of the life of the individual pilgrims and underpin the support of God and the Church. This was also the case alongside the medieval one St. Peter's Basilica has a benediction loggia to allow the dispensation of this blessing to the pilgrims gathered in front of the basilica, similar facilities are found in other papal basilicas in Rome.
Today the blessing is usually given from the loggia above the portals of St. Peter's Basilica , which is why this hall is also called the Benediction Loggia . The blessing is not the final blessing of the usually preceding holy mass , but a separate rite with a special blessing formula. The progressive health impairment of John Paul II led to the fact that in the last years of his office, contrary to tradition, the blessing was given directly after the mass from the altar. Since the election of Pope Benedict XVI. the blessing is again given from the benediction loggia.
In the period from the fall of the papal state in 1870 to the election of Pope Pius XI. (1922) it was customary - instead of from the outside loggia to St. Peter's Square and the city - to dispense the blessing from an inside loggia into St. Peter's Basilica, as a sign of protest against the annexation of the Papal States by the Kingdom of Italy and as an expression for the then so understood “imprisonment” of the Pope in the Vatican.
The form of the blessing
The blessing Urbi et orbi is donated in this form and with this name only by the Pope. On certain occasions, the blessing can also be given by cardinals and bishops on his behalf.
Usually the blessing is donated as a hand blessing , but Pope Francis made an exception in March 2020 in the wake of the corona pandemic.
The blessing can also be donated in a valid and permitted manner without the blessing prayer and is thus equated to a donation with a blessing formula.
Understanding the blessing
With the blessing Urbi et orbi , according to Catholic teaching, all who hear or see it and are of good will, under the usual conditions, are granted a perfect indulgence of their sinful punishments. While the physical presence of the recipient on the square or within sight of the donor was previously necessary for this reception, the blessing can also be done via radio since 1967, since 1985 via television and since 1995 , according to the comprehensive understanding ( orbi ) that already existed can also be validly received over the Internet .
Extraordinary donations
Until the fall of the Papal States in 1870, extraordinary donations of the blessing were made again and again in order to enable as many pilgrims as possible a perfect indulgence. For this purpose, festive days served in the course of the year, such as Maundy Thursday, but also patron saints at Roman local and main churches, such as B. the one at the Archbasilika Sankt Paul Outside the Walls on June 29th. Therefore there are u. a. in all seven main churches of Rome today corresponding blessing loggias.
Unscheduled, the blessing was given for the first time in recent history on March 27, 2020, Friday, the 4th week of fasting , on the occasion of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic by Pope Francis . As the second Pope in the two thousand year history of the Catholic Church after John Paul II, who was unable to speak from March 2005 due to a tracheotomy, he donated the blessing without a blessing formula. And as the first Pope in church history, he gave the Eucharistic blessing with the Holy of Holies in the monstrance instead of the usual hand blessing in front of St. Peter's Square, which was deserted for the first time for reasons of infection protection, after a devotion with exposure . On this occasion, the plague cross from the Church of San Marcello and the icon of Mary Salus populi Romani from the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore were brought to the Vatican.
Act of blessing
Announcement of the indulgence associated with the receipt of the blessing by the cardinal protodeacon / cardinal protosubdeacon or archpriest of a main Roman church
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Italian
"Il santo Padre N. a tutti i fedeli presenti ea quelli che ricevono la sua benedizione, a mezzo della radio, della televisione e delle nuove tecnologie di comunicazione, concede l'indulgenza plenaria nella forma stabilita dalla Chiesa. Preghiamo Dio onnipotente perché conservi a lungo il Papa a guida della Chiesa, e conceda pace e unità alla Chiesa in tutto il mondo. " |
German
Holy Father N. grants to all the faithful gathered here and to those who receive his blessings through radio, television and the new means of communication a perfect indulgence according to the rules prescribed by the Church. Let us ask Almighty God to keep the Pope as leader of the Church for a long time and to give the Church unity and peace. |
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Latin
"Sancti Apostoli Petrus et Paulus, de quorum potestate et auctoritate confidimus, ipsi intercedant pro nobis ad Dominum." R. / "Amen." "Precibus et meritis beatæ Mariae semper Virginis, beati Michaelis Archangeli, beati Ioannis Baptistæ et sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli et omnium Sanctorum misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus et dimissis omnibus peccatis vestris, perducat vos Iesus Christ ad vitam æternam". R. / "Amen." "Indulgentiam, absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum, spatium verae et fructuosae pænitentiæ, cor semper pænitens et emendationem vitae, gratiam et consolationem Sancti Spiritus et finalem perseverantiam in bonis operibus, tribisericors vobis omnipotens et." R. / "Amen." "Et benedictio Dei omnipotentis: Patris + et Filii + et Spiritus Sancti + descendat super vos et maneat semper." R. / "Amen." |
German
May the holy apostles Peter and Paul , in whose power and authority we trust, they themselves intercede with the Lord for us.
By virtue of the intercession and merits of the Blessed Everlasting Virgin Mary , Saint Michael the Archangel , Saint John the Baptist and Saint Apostles Peter and Paul and all the saints , Almighty God have mercy on you and after having forgiven all your sins, guide you Jesus Christ to eternal life . All: Amen. May the Almighty and Merciful Lord grant you remission, forgiveness and pardon for all your sins, a period of genuine and fruitful repentance, an ever repentant heart and improvement of life, the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit and ultimate perseverance in good works.
And the blessing of Almighty God, the Father + and the Son + and the Holy Spirit +, come down on you and abide with you always. All: Amen. |
literature
- Georg Büchmann: Winged words. 40th edition, Ullstein, Berlin 1995, p. 372.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Pope prayed against pandemic in empty St. Peter's Square. In: suedtirolnews.it. March 27, 2020, accessed March 28, 2020 .
- ↑ Christoph Strack: Papal Blessing in Corona-Not dw.com , March 27, 2020, accessed on April 1, 2020