Sic Transit Gloria Mundi
SITARAM
http://www.sulekha.com/philosophy/messages/36412.html
Sic Transit Gloria Mundi
"Thus Passes the Worldly Glory"
Recently, I was listening to the lecture of a Marist brother (Roman Catholic)
who teaches Old and New Testament. He related an anecdote about how amused
Pope John Paul was during his Papal Coronation by the tradition of a barefoot
monk (who owns nothing) coming out three times to interrupt the Papal
procession, light a flame, recite "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi", and then wait for
the flame to die away.
I began meditating upon the phrase 'Sic Transit Gloria Mundi' and searching the
internet for various topics.
Many people may be puzzled by my rambling style of posts, which seem to change
in topic kalidescopically.
Blaise Pascal once observed in the Pensees (Meditations) something to the
effect that if we closely scrutinize ANYTHING, even the leg of a flea, that we
shall discover infinity, eternity and an entire universe within that humble,
simple object of our meditation.
I have often found Pascal's observation to be true.
The dictionary defines the word "PENUMBRA" as: "The partial or imperfect shadow
outside the complete shadow of an opaque body where the light from the source
of illumination is only partly cut off."
If we meditate upon the flashing, kalidoscopic raging Chimaera of transitory
reality, we shall occasionly become aware, at the periphery of our vision's
limits, of the tranquil, glorious penumbra of the Eternal and Infinite which
underlies that reality.
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note:
A site dedicated to the Chimaera Myth
http://www.unifi.it/unifi/surfchem/solid/bardi/chimera
<a href="http://www.unifi.it/unifi/surfchem/solid/bardi/chimera/">A site
dedicated to the Chimaera Myth</a>
The Chimaera - or Chimera - was said to be made out of three different
creatures: lion, goat and serpent. A savage beast, sprouting fire from its
mouth, it devastated the land until it was killed by the hero Bellerophon, who
flew over it riding his winged horse Pegasus. This story, although apparently
simple in its basic lines, is among the most ancient ones of occidental
mythology, and it hides some deep and still not exactly known meaning. This
site is an attempt to collect material about the Chimaera seen in its various
aspects: myth, legend, art expression, and as a probe of the human mind.
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The very first occurance of the word "world" in the King James Version of the
Bible is:
1 Samuel 2:8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar
from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the
throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set
the world upon them.
We may note with some surprise that this verse is most optimistic, describing
the poor and beggars inheriting the throne of glory, rather than some
pessimistic vision of a glorious kingly or papal throne passing away.
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<a href="http://www.cusimano.com/artist/works/p63002.htm">Cusimano's Oil
Painting - Sic Transit Gloria Mundi</a>
Cusimano's Oil Painting - Sic Transit Gloria Mundi
http://www.cusimano.com/artist/works/p63002.htm
Oil on canvas, 1963
This artist is a native of Italy. His studio is in Toronto, Canada.
In the artistic turmoil of this century, Joseph Cusimano managed to preserve
his own individuality by adhering strictly to his own belief that "every
painter aspires after a new art." He has repeatedly emphasized in his writings
and lectures that he has created "from the connubium between metaphysical
painting and surrealism a new form of artistic expression as from the connubium
between man and woman a new life is born." It is from this connubium between
the surrealism of Dalí and the metaphysical painting of Giorgio de Chirico
that the value and the singularity of the Cusimanian art assertively spring
into existence.
Nowhere is this singularity more evident than in Il Riposo Delle Maschere
http://www.cusimano.com/artist/works/p91004.htm
<a href="http://www.cusimano.com/artist/works/p91004.htm">Il Riposo Delle
Maschere</a>
(1991) where metaphysical shadows point the way to "the solitary runner who
seeks his identity in the landscape of his own soul." When asked about the
meaning of the masks that resemble dislocated heads of an artist's mannequin he
replied "It is within the social framework that our freedom is curtailed by our
own actions. We transform our appearance to hide our reality, we wear masks.
The magic character of this transformation which allows us to become 'something
else' often creates ambiguity and equivocation. The metamorphosis of appearance
cannot be sustained infinitely even if one is 'what-one-would-like-to-be'. It
is in surrendering our masks at a point in the infinite stretch of Time, that
we regain our inner humanity and spirituality.
The Bird Image Symbolizes the Human
http://www.cusimano.com/artist/glossary/bird.htm
<a href="http://www.cusimano.com/artist/glossary/bird.htm">The Bird Image
Symbolizes the Human Soul</a>
We may compare Cusimano's profound message of the human spirit who "seeks his
identity in the landscape of his own soul" with Salman Rushdie's profound
question in "Satanic Verses", "
Clouds of Butterflies: Effigy of Dreams - Page 420
http://www.geocities.com/tulsidas_ramayan/page420.htm
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/tulsidas_ramayan/page420.htm">Clouds of
Butterflies: Effigy of Dreams - Page 420</a>
Between Al-Lah and the Three there can be no peace. I don't want it. I want the
fight. To the death; that is the kind of idea I am. What kind of idea are you?
(Satanic Verses, p.124)
The question of "what kind of idea are you?" also presents itself in the other
main storyline involving Saladin and Gibreel. Both men have lost sight of all
that's important in life and they have become products of the materialistic
society that we live in. When the jet explodes mid-air and both men land safely
in London, England, they begin to change both mentally and physically.
Through the plights of the characters in The Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie is
trying to teach us a very important lesson in life. He is conveying the idea
that if we don't have self-identity and don't understand our role in life, that
we will be living only as society dictates. Without self-identity in our lives,
we're just another useless product produced by our materialistic society and it
is through this lack of self-identity that we will bring about an early death.
Rushdie's characters, though difficult to understand at times, show us that to
truly live a satisfying and fulfilling life we must be able to have
self-identity and be able to answer the question, "what kind of idea are you?".
- from an essay by Cory Seaman, January 6,2000
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The words "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" are recited three times during the
coronation of a new Pope, to remind him that he is but a mortal man, inspite of
all the pomp of the Papacy.
How is a Pope Elected?
http://www.truecatholic.org/pope/conclave-history.htm
<a href="http://www.truecatholic.org/pope/conclave-history.htm">How Is a Pope
Elected?</a>
What Happens when a Pope Dies?
Let us assume that in the bedroom of his apartment in the Vatican Palace in
Rome, a Pope has just died. Standing by his bedside is the Cardinal Camerlengo,
the Cardinal appointed by the Pope to direct the affairs of the Church until a
new Pope is elected. In the presence of the Camerlengo and other officials of
the Papal Court, the white veil which covers the face of the dead Pope is
removed, and prayers are said for the repose of his soul. Then an official
reads the rogito, or solemn announcement of his death. The “Ring of the
Fisherman,” which the Pope had received upon his election, is entrusted to
the Camerlengo, who will take it to the first meeting of Cardinals when it is
broken into pieces.
When a Pope has died, the Church has lost its supreme head. The Congregations
which deal with the affairs of the Church no longer have any authority. There
is no longer any office of Papal Secretary of State, and until the election of
a new Pope there can be no move in diplomatic relations involving the Holy See,
no matter how important or how advanced they may be. Even if a General Council
of the Church is in session, it is automatically suspended and can only meet
one more if the new Pope gives his approval.
Papal Coronation & First Papal Mass
A few days later, the basilica of St. Peter’s is thronged when the new Pope
enters it to sing his first papal Mass at the altar over the tomb of St. Peter.
As the procession moves towards the altar, it is halted 3 times. At each halt,
a piece of tow is set on fire; it dies away; meanwhile the Pope hears the
words, “Pater sancte, sic transit gloria mundi” – Holy Father this is how
the glory of the world passes away; for in the midst of the pomp and splendour
of his crowning, the Pope is reminded that he is but a mortal man.
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There have been a number of occasions since at least the 1960's when the
newspapers used the play on words, "Sick Transit, Glorious Monday", on the
occasion of some subway/railroad transit system strike.
When I was a novice in a Monastery in 1975, I remember another novice from New
York City chuckling about such a headline which appeared sometime in the early
1970's or perhaps in the 1960's.
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WAYTAGO, TORONTO STAR. Jim Smith was taken by a headline covering the aftermath
of a transit strike in Toronto, the city Canada loves to hate.
"The strike began on a Monday morning, and the anticipated traffic disaster as
800,000 extra cars flooded into the downtown core was met with much angst and
hand-wringing. When we all woke up Tuesday morning to find the world had not
ended, we were greeted with this wonderful headline in the April 20, 1999
Toronto Star: "'Sick Transit, Glorious Monday.'
"I'm dying to know for how many years the headline writer was saving that one.
How gratifying it must have been finally to be able to put those Latin classes
to good use."
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