.::Firmum Est::. - - My Heart is Steadfast

The Altar of St. Petronilla at St Peter Basilica is where I first served as a deacon. Here is a bit of information about the altar:

[UPDATE: In God’s providence, I was able to serve the Mass of  newly ordained friend (oil still on the hands) at the same Altar on her feast day - though we celebrated the Visitation!] 

Most visitors to St. Peter’s Basilica wonder why the candles on the altars are never lit. Early morning Mass attendees of course know that all the candles on the side altars are lit every morning from 7 to 8:30 a.m. as the individual Eucharistic celebrations are taking place.

But as the last taper is extinguished, the altars fall dark, except the one that will be used for the regular morning Masses. But on feast days of saints venerated in St. Peter’s, the altar dedicated to the saint is adorned with flowers and lit candles, standing out among all the others.

Sometimes the honoree is a well-known saint, such as St. Gregory the Great or St. Joseph, but often these little celebrations allow visitors to reacquaint themselves with long-forgotten saints and realize how important they are to Christian history and culture.

On May 31, St. Peter’s paid homage to what is today a somewhat obscure saint, St. Petronilla, but closer study reveals that some of the finest art in the basilica was dedicated to her altar.

St. Petronilla lived in Rome and was probably martyred in the first century during the early Christian persecutions. Her grave, near that of Sts. Nereo and Achilleo in the catacomb of Domitilla, was one of the most venerated tombs in the city up through the seventh century, when the catacombs were finally abandoned.

As early as the fourth century, Petronilla was already an artistic subject. A fresco in an underground crypt from 356 represents the saint assisting a woman, Veneranda, into heaven. But this was only the beginning of Petronilla’s rewarding association with the arts.

The remains of Petronilla, in a white marble sarcophagus, were transferred in 757 to the old St. Peter’s Basilica built by Constantine. The saint was laid to rest in a former imperial mausoleum situated next to the church, which was consecrated as the Chapel of Petronilla and annexed to the Basilica.

The circular building, which can be seen in old drawings of the ancient church, became the French chapel of St. Peter’s, as Petronilla became patroness of relations between the Pope and the first Holy Roman Emperors.

The inscription on the tomb, “of the golden Petronilla, the sweetest daughter,” the distinctiveness of her elegant mausoleum, and the translation of her relics to St. Peter’s gave rise to the medieval legend that the Roman martyr was the daughter of St. Peter.

The charming tale surrounding the identity of Petronilla recounted that Peter’s beautiful daughter attracted the eye of the pagan son of a high-ranking Roman official, and to protect Petronilla from unwanted advances, Peter and his daughter prayed for her to be rendered too ill to be considered for marriage.

The ruse worked for a short time, but finally the young man realized he had been duped and denounced Petronilla as a Christian. Peter prayed to have his daughter spared a harrowing martyrdom and Petronilla died in her sleep.

This story, while adding romance and famous names, nonetheless demoted Petronilla from her high status of martyr to virgin. The artwork dedicated to her, however, went from a hasty catacomb fresco to one of the greatest treasures of the basilica.

In 1498, French Cardinal Jean Bilhères de Lagraulas wanted to commemorate the upcoming Jubilee Year of 1500 with a new work of art for the Petronilla chapel where he planned to be buried. He approached a relatively unknown, 23-year-old Florentine sculptor named Michelangelo Buonarroti, and asked him to sculpt a statue of the Pietà. The rest is history.

St. Petronilla still ranked high as a virgin martyr in Cesare Baronio’s Martyrology of the post Counter-Reformation era (ending in the 16th century). Antonio Bosio’s exploration of the early Christian sites ensured that Petronilla had enough clout to retain a chapel dedicated to her in the new basilica of St. Peter completed in 1612.

The Pietà was briefly placed back in her chapel, which is along the right-hand aisle against the apsidal wall of the basilica. It was soon moved to its present position, and a new work of art was commissioned for Petronilla.

Francesco Barbieri, nicknamed Guercino, star pupil of the 17th-century Carracci academy of Bologna, and Baroque painter par excellence, was hired to paint the enormous oil on canvas of “The Raising of St. Petronilla.”

The original is kept today in the Capitoline Museums, but the mosaic copy in St. Peter’s faithfully re-creates the effect of the landmark work.

This astonishing work, standing 25 feet high, drew on the medieval legend of Petronilla and represents Peter on the lower half of the canvas lowering his daughter in the tomb while the upper half shows Petronilla, adorned in beautiful silks and velvets being welcomed into heaven by Christ.

The brilliant blues and rich reds catch the viewer’s eye from afar and impart a sense of preciousness to the work, but the most surprising effect can only be seen by those attending Mass. As Peter grasps the ropes to lower his daughter’s body into the grave, the corpse of Petronilla seems to hover above the altar. From the lowest border of the work only two outstretched hands reaching upward can be seen.

One might think that the hands belong to a gravedigger ready to receive the body and lay it in the ground, but those hands also recall the supplication of Veneranda, who relied on Petronilla’s intercession for her salvation. The medieval tale blends with the ancient martyrdom.

St. Petronilla’s life in both history and art recall that the examples of the saints are more than just pretty pictures to be admired in church, but also indications of how we too can be part of the great communion of the elect in heaven.

TWENTY-ONE SEMINARIANS ORDAINED DEACONS AT ST. PETER’S BASILICA

ROME, October 5, 2007 – The Pontifical North American College announces the ordination of twenty-one American and Australian seminarians to the Order of Deacons on Thursday, October 4, 2007. The sacrament was conferred by Archbishop John Patrick Foley, Pro-Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, at the Altar of the Chair in the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican.

During his homily, Archbishop Foley reminded those to be ordained that being a minister of the Church means conforming oneself entirely to Christ.  He went on to say that service to those in need lies at the heart of the Order of Deacon, as it has been since the apostolic era.  Appropriately, the ordination fell on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi who the Church honors for his service of the poor and preaching the Gospel of Christ.

Before ordination, the seminarians completed extensive studies in both philosophy and theology.  In addition to studying at one of Rome’s Pontifical universities, the seminarians were also given thorough spiritual and pastoral formation at the College itself.  As ordained deacons, they are commissioned by the Church to preach the Word of God, minister at the altar and assist bishops and priests in ministering to the needs of the community they serve.

The Rite of Ordination of Deacons exhorts the candidates to “receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become.  Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach.”

Founded in 1859, the Pontifical North American College is the American house of studies located in Rome, where hundreds of priests have been formed near the heart of the Church for service in dioceses around the Unites States and Australia.  The College strengthens the bonds between Rome and local churches worldwide, and it allows its students to study Christianity’s rich religious and cultural heritage at close range.

On Thursday October 4th, at the Altar of the Chair in the Basilica of St Peter, I was ordained to the Order of Deacons. It was a blessed event filled with many joy and graces. For one, from the twenty-one of us ordained, there were two other men from Washington ordained that same day - Vincent De Rosa and Patrick Riffle.
Two other brothers, Marco Schad and Mark Ivany, who were ordained in May by Archbishop Wuerl, were able to join us for the celebration. The five of us together with two more are scheduled to be ordained on June 14, 2007.

The festivities began on Sunday afternoon as people from all over America arrived at the College. The rest of the week was very busy. Luckily it had been preceded by a week of silent prayer at Rocca di Papa in the Colli Albani, the hills south of Rome. This time of prayer was a chance for my heart to truly rest in the Lord. And my Heart rejoiced continuously over the past two weeks.

I have many more things to write about - but I share with you pictures first. Please click “Photo” at the top of the page. I will be adding more pictures and reflections over the next few days.

This evening, the twenty-one ‘deacons-elect’ stood in front of the community during evening prayer to profess their faith and to make an oath of their fidelity to the Word of God and the teachings of the Church.

As a ‘deacon-elect’, I professed my faith and made an oath of fidelity.

“But what is all this cryptic language you are using?” Ok - I will define.

Deacon-elect |ˈdēkən-iˈlekt| noun
A seminarian who has been approved by the Seminary and his Archbishop to be ordained as a deacon. I was ‘called-to-orders’ (Holy Orders - Priest, Deacon, etc) this summer by Archbishop Wuerl. Think as well of the election of a the President. He is elected, called the President-elect, but not President until he is sworn in to office. On October 4th, I will be ’sworn-in’ by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is much more supernatural and divine than being sworn into public office.

Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity:
I have included them below; that is, what I actually said this evening in front of the school with the other twenty-one men. God has given His “Yes.” In some ways, these actions are the beginnings of my “Yes.” The official “Yes” will be at the Diaconate Ordination - but these prepare the way for that date.
=========================================
PROFESSION OF FAITH

I, Kevin James Regan,

with firm faith believe and profess everything that is contained in the symbol of faith: namely,

I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: By the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. I believe in the one holy catholic and apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

With firm faith I also believe everything contained in God’s Word, written or handed down in tradition and proposed by the Church, whether in solemn judgment or in ordinary and universal magisterium, as divinely revealed and calling for faith.

I also firmly accept and hold each and every thing that is proposed by the Church definitively regarding teaching on faith and morals.

Moreover, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman Pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise the authentic magisterium even if they proclaim those teachings in an act that is not definitive.

OATH OF FIDELITY

I, Kevin James Regan,

in assuming the office of deacon, promise that both in my words and in my conduct I shall always preserve communion with the Catholic Church.

I shall carry out with the greatest care and fidelity the duties incumbent on me toward both the universal Church and the particular Church in which, according to the provisions of the law, I have been called to exercise my service.

In fulfilling the charge entrusted to me in the name of the Church, I shall hold fast to the deposit of faith in its entirety, I shall faithfully hand it on and explain it, and I shall avoid any teachings opposed to that faith.

I shall follow and foster the common discipline of the whole Church and I shall observe all ecclesiastical laws, especially those which are contained in the Code of Canon Law.

In Christian obedience I shall unite myself with what is declared by the bishops as authentic doctors and teachers of the faith or established by them as those responsible for the governance of the Church; I shall also faithfully assist the diocesan bishops, in order that the apostolic activity exercised in the name and by mandate of the Church may be carried out in the communion of the same Church.

So help me God, and God’s holy Gospels, on which I place my hand.