Objection
to our picture and comments about Paul VI wearing the Jewish high priest
liturgical symbol:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I have seen on several websites the photo of his Holiness Pope Paul
VI wearing the 12 stoned breast plate in minature of the Jewish high
priest. During my studies of medieval Liturgy I found that many Bishops
in central Europe used a form of the Rational of Judgement as an accessory
to their Vestments. I find it difficult to believe that this could have
been an accomodation to Judaism. Can this criticism of Pope Paul VI
not simply be through ignorance and lack of knowledge of the historical
Liturgies of the Church?
Thank you for your kind atrtention.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Joseph D. Santos, Jr.
November 26, 2004
Reply:
Rev. Fr. Joseph D. Santos, Jr.,
Thank you for your inquiry.
TIA published pictures of Paul VI wearing the rational and attributed
it to a possible purpose of unification with the Jewish religion for the
following reasons:
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Paul VI wears the symbol wore exclusively by the Jewish high priest.
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1. The rational, a square piece of gold jewelry,
was initially a pectoral ornament worn to distinguish important functionaries
of Egypt (F. Vigouroux, Dictionnaire de la Bible, entry Pectoral).
2. God wanted His high priest to wear a similar ornament to emphasize
the sacerdotal importance, and for that end, He described in detail how
it should be made and worn over the ephod (a kind of vest). This
new ornament was a gold breastplate inlaid with 12 stones engraved with
the names of the 12 tribes of Israel (ibid., referring to Ex 28:15-29;
29:8-21; Lev 8:8).
3. The high priest should wear the rational, or pectoral of judgment,
when he entered the Sanctuary to offer the solemn sacrifice (Ex 29:30;
Eccles 45:12-3).
3. After the crime of Deicide, the apostasy of the Synagogue, and its
separation from the Catholic Church, the liturgical garments of the high
priest continued to be worn in the Jewish religion, even after 70 AD,
when the Sanctuary and the whole Temple were destroyed by Titus. But its
use was discontinued in the Catholic Church, which created her own liturgy,
even though it was often inspired by former practices.
4. In the Catholic liturgy, the name rational was given to different pectoral
ornaments for Bishops worn in place of the pallium. A more precise
description of them can be found in The Catholic Encyclopedia (entry
"Rational"). As you mentioned in your comment, these were used in some
medieval Dioceses from the 10th to the 13th century, when such practice
was discontinued. Only the Diocese of Reims (France) maintained usage
of the adapted rational until the 16th century, when it was discontinued
there as well (ibid).
5. In the present time, it is only used by the Bishops of Eichst, Paderborn,
Toul, and Krakow in Europe (ibid.). The shape of such ornaments,
however, is different from the rational worn by the Jewish high priest
(ibid.).
6. The Catholic ornaments of the Sovereign Pontiff are quite well known,
and, as far as we know, they do not include any rational, but rather the
pallium.
7. Therefore, Paul VI clearly made an innovation when he wore the Jewish
breastplate on many different occasions. After much research, TIA has
never found any official explanation for his action. Therefore, it seems
fair that each one can interpret it the way he wants.
8. Given that Paul VI’s rational is clearly a smaller copy of the
rational worn by the Jewish high priest, the most probable interpretation
for its use seems to be that he wanted to indicate some unrevealed relationship
between his papal investiture and the present day high priesthood of Judaism.
9. This mysterious ecumenical aspiration of Paul VI was repeated in a
different way by John Paul II. Regarding his mantle worn at the opening
of the bronze door of St. Peter’s Basilica to usher in the Great
Jubilee of the Year 2000, JPII purposely ordered it to be made with
the same colors of the Jewish ephod – gold, blue, purple,
and scarlet – according to a statement issued by the Vatican itself.
Again, the ephod was a garment worn exclusively by the Jewish high
priest. What was the intention of John Paul II for doing this? The Vatican
did not give any further explanation.
With such background and taking into due consideration the past history
of the Liturgy, TIA thinks that is quite sound to state that there is
some mysterious intention behind these two acts that is not being divulged
to the public.
We hope this explanation will clarify your doubt about our possible ignorance
of the liturgical aspects of the rational.
Cordially,
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