Pope celebrates Epiphany ordaining four new archbishops
January 07, 2013 - Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday observed a tradition on the feast
of the Epiphany of the Lord by consecrating four new bishops at a solemn Mass in St.
Peter’s Basilica in Rome The four who were conferred the dignity of archbishop are,
Angelo Vincenzo Zani, Secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education;
Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Apostolic Nuncio to Nicaragua; Georg Ganswein, Personal Secretary
to Pope Benedict XVI and Prefect of the Papal Household; and Nicolas Thevenin, also
Apostolic Nuncio in the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See. Epiphany that commemorates
the visit of the Three Magi, or Wise Men from the East, to the baby Jesus in Bethlehem,
symbolizes the manifestation of Christ, the Light of the World to all of humanity,
beyond the chosen people of Israel. In his homily at the Mass, Pope Benedict held
out the figures of the Three Wise Men as models for the new bishops in their mission.
Like the Magi, he said, "the bishop, too, must be a man of restless heart, not satisfied
with the ordinary things of this world, but inwardly driven by his heart's unrest
to draw ever closer to God, to seek his face, to recognize him more and more, to be
able to love him more and more." A bishop must be attentive and watchful, recognizing
the gentle voice of God and able to discern the truth, the Pope said. Like the wise
men, who probably were ridiculed for following a star in search of the promised king,
a bishop must "be filled with the courage of humility, not asking what prevailing
opinion says about him, but following the criterion of God's truth and taking his
stand accordingly," he said. "Anyone who lives and proclaims the faith of the Church
is on many points out of step with the prevalent way of thinking," he said. "The approval
of the prevailing wisdom, however, is not the criterion to which we submit," the
Pope said. "Today's ruling agnosticism has its own dogmas and is extremely intolerant
regarding anything that would question it and the criteria it employs," the Pope said.
"Therefore the courage to contradict the prevailing mindset is particularly urgent
for a bishop today. He must be courageous," he said. And the bishop “must have the
humility to bend down before the God who made himself so tangible and so simple that
he contradicts our foolish pride in its reluctance to see God so close and so small,"
the Pope said. Pope Benedict said scholars and scientists have debated what kind
of light or star the Three Kings were following -- a constellation, a supernova or
a comet -- but whatever it was, he said, "the great star, the true supernova that
leads us on, is Christ himself." The job of the new bishops, he said, is to lead people
on the path to discovering the light that is Christ. After the Epiphany Mass, Pope
Benedict appeared at his studio window to recite the midday “Angelus’ prayer with
the faithful gathered below in St. Peter’s Square. Before the prayer, the Pope sent
his best wishes to the Eastern Churches many of whom mark Christmas on Jan 7 according
to the Julian calendar. The Pope explained that both the birth of Jesus and His Epiphany
highlight that the child, born in the humility of the cave of Bethlehem, is the light
of the world, which directs the path of all peoples. The Virgin Mary, along with
her husband, symbolize the chosen people of Israel, while the Wise Men represent the
people, civilizations, cultures and religions that are, so to speak, on the path to
God, seeking his kingdom of peace, justice, truth and freedom, the Pope said. He
urged for prayers for the four new bishops he consecrated at Sunday’s Epiphany Mass.
The Pope also recalled that on the feast of the Epiphany the Church celebrates the
Holy Childhood Day, dedicated to children who are engaged in the spread of the Gospel
and to make concrete contribution to their needy counterparts around the world. "Dear
children,” he said, “I thank you and encourage you: bring the love of God to all."
He urged prayers "for each of them for their ministry, and that the light of Christ
shine in the whole world." In his greetings in different languages, Benedict XVI greeted
the relatives and friends of the new bishops, who came to Rome.