The Martyrologium Romanum has this entry for 7 February:
16*. Romae, beati Pii papae Noni, qui, veritatem Christi, cui ab imo adhaesit, plane proclamans, multas instituit sedes episcopales, cultum beatae Mariae Virginis promovit et Concilium OEcumenicum Vaticanum Primum ascivit.
You will notice from the photo that the effigy of the Pope has a red camauro, the cap trimmed in ermine that John XXIII and Benedict XVI used on cold days.
The vesture of Popes has shifted over the centuries. For example, they didn’t always wear white. They wore martyrial red.
There are conflicting theories about how the pope wound up garbed in white. Some think that Bl. Innocent V, pope for a few months in 1276, kept his white Dominican habit. Others think that it was Pius V, 1566-72, who kept his white Dominican habit. Either way, it seems that Dominicans were involved.
Would I like to see popes in red? No.
What I would like to see is the proper use of traditional papal garb and vestments, which demonstrates humility and shows respect for the office and God’s people.
There is, by the way, a nickname, the Red Pope, for the head of Propaganda Fidei, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Back in the day, this was an extremely powerful position, especially because of the massive funds the head of Propaganda controlled and the territories he governed. The “red” here refers to the color of the cardinal’s garb.
However, another “Red Pope” could be the late, great Cardinal Giuseppe Siri, whom some claim was the real pope, truly the one elected in 1958. The story is that Siri was elected as Gregory XVII but because of massive resistance his election was somehow reversed and John XXIII was elected. The Siri Theory is the foundation of the claims of some sedevacantists. Other sedevacantists disputed the 1903 election of Giuseppe Sarto as Pius X. That conclave originally, or nearly so, elected Card. Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro. Back in the day, it was possible for secular powers to influence conclaves. When Rampolla was elected, or nearly so, the Card. Prince-Archbp. of Krakow exercised Franz Joseph’s, the Emperor of Austria’s, veto. One of Pius X’s first official acts was to abolish the veto right, the ius exclusivae, which was the prerogative of the Catholic monarchs of France, Spain, Austria, and the Holy Roman Emperor and exercised through a cardinal of royal blood. This veto had been used against papal candidates some dozen times during the 17th-19th centuries.
These days, there is discussion about the validity of the conclave of 2013.
Let’s just say that had Siri been elected things would have been very different, as they would have under Rampolla. Had Benedict not resigned, things would have been very different.
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Interesting. These days, there is too much “I do not like the election results; therefore, the election was illegitimate or tampered with in some manner.”
Whatever we would prefer, things are what they are. We need to deal with them as is.
As I remember it, it was Pope St. Pius X who decreased the age for First Holy Communion, and I, for one, am grateful for that.
I posted the following in the comments section to a recent video by a somewhat popular traditionalist Catholic YouTube channel’s video. “An interesting point to consider… if Pope Francis is declared as an invalidly elected Pontiff, that would then mean that all… ALL documents, pronouncements, and appointments would also be declared as invalid. That would also mean that ALL Bishops that he appointed to the College of Cardinals would no longer be considered Cardinals, and therefore would NOT be allowed to vote in the next conclave to elect the replacement Pontiff. Since only Cardinals who are under the age of 80 are allowed to vote in the Conclave, as of this moment there are only 35 Cardinals left who have the ability to vote to elect the next Pontiff. And that number drops as the days go by (via either the reaching of the 80th birthday or via death). Cardinal Oulette (appointed by JPII) turns 80 in June. Cardinal Baselios (appointed by BXVI) is the youngest of the non-Francis appointed Cardinals, who will turn 64 in May.”
All true. Indeed, things would have been very different…
And yet it is good for us to remember that God’s will is not absent in all of those if’s… Though it is painful, and it is hard to understand WHY He has willed for these things to befall His Church, He is not absent…
The question, then, becomes not a dreamy “if only…” (as cathartic as that may be…) but “how can we best cooperate with God’s purification of His Church?”
Perhaps if we work hard this Lent toward circumcising our hearts with St. Paul (Romans Ch. 2)…and beg for His intervention…? Have mercy, Lord!!!
Your last paragraph, Father Z:
“Let’s just say that had Siri been elected things would have been very different, as they would have under Rampolla. Had Benedict not resigned, things would have been very different.”
I admit ignorance of the Pius X election under different rules, still your paragraph is the understatement of the blog year. The Siri episode is the most troubling to me, given the white smoke/not white smoke evidence and the FBI’s own determination.
Red or white, Ranjith is next!
Blessed Pius IX is a much misunderstood yet fascinating and admirable man of deep piety and devotion.
A couple of fun facts I came across over the years:
St. John XXIII publicly stated that he hoped to have the honor of elevating Pius IX to the altars one day (he did not get to, of course).
Cardinal Siri, late in life, offered positive testimony in support of the process that eventually led to the canonization of St. John XXIII.
Pius IX sent a stone to be set in the Washington Monument and the No Nothings chucked it into the Potomac.
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