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| Goanetters annual meet in Goa is scheduled for Dec 27, 2005 @ 4pm |
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| Watch this space for more details |
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I am grateful for Luis Vazs comments, which I believe clinch the issue of
José Farias supposed Sistine chapel oration. My arguments, taken mostly
from the evidence provided by the oration itself, is briefly as follows.
1. GIVEN DATE OF THE PUBLICATION OF THE ORATION, 1775.
If the oration was published in 1775 it could only refer to Pope Clement
XIV (r. 1769-1774), who was dead in 1774. It is not impossible that Faria
was then invited to Rome by the next Pope, the tragic Pius VI (r.
1775-1799), and there was nothing to prevent the latter from inviting a man
who had made his name in philosophy alone, to deliver a heavily theological
homily on the divine institution of the papacy. And why not in the Sistine
chapel? But that cannot be the oration we are discussing here, which, if
read in honor of Pius VI, could only have been published after 1775.
2. LOCUS OF THE ORATION: COLLEGIUM URBANUM DE PROPAGANDA FIDE (NOT THE
SISTINE CHAPEL)
Faria tells us that the oration was given in a College (the Propaganda
College) at the beginning of its Academic Year. He wishes to offer gratitude
to the Pope in the name of the whole College, which he claims to represent,
and proudly mentions the fact that the occasion was the first in the history
of the institution (with the Pope as the guest of honor, as we would say
today). Since Pope Sixtus IV built the Sistine chapel (1475-1483),
innumerable popes have been addressed there by any number of orations. And
that noble fane is no place for inaugurating academic years.
3. THE ADDRESEE, POPE CLEMENT XIV (R. )
Finally the Pope was a published theologian of repute. Faria refers to the
Popes power of intelligence revealed through an abundance of writings. In
addition the oration congratulates the Pope for having been elected
unanimously. The Pope (whose conclave lasted from February to May 1759),
must have winced at this statement, for in the final ballot, the only vote
not cast for the future Pope Clement was his own.
José Pereira
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| Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions |
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| Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages |
| Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Carry and distribute Soccer Balls |
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