Introduction

In the context of an eschatological reflection, it is mandatory to analyze the processes that have been taking place in the Christian world, especially the process developed during the last centuries in Christianity, including the tendencies related to recent times.

The phenomena that have involved the religious world, in particular those regarding worship is a reality indicated in Scripture as events that should be carefully considered in the context of eschatological occurrences.

Jesus, in His prophetical sermon, invites us to pay attention to a number of events, mainly to events that would take place in religious contexts and to see them as signs of the times.

Jesus does not warn, as was done with Moses and the olds prophets, against pagan idolatry or astral worship (Deuteronomy 4:15-19). Jesus uses a language that immediately recalls the various conflicts involving false prophets who in Old Testament times confronted God’s prophets and before whom the people of God often had difficulties in discerning the truthful ones. He also uses the expression “false christs” (Mark 13:22) and he does so after he Himself has been identified as the Christ of God. By doing so, He makes it clear that eschatological times would be characterized by events that should be read as signs that would have taken place in the Christian world.

Peter does the same thing in his first epistle, and he writes clearly: “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed”, (2 Peter 2:1,2).

Peter points out the role of these “false” prophets, who “will secretly bring in destructive heresies even denying the Lord”. These “false prophets” would have diverged people from the truth by introducing “heresies” that would have led to “denying the Lord who bought them”; i.e., introducing ideas with the purpose of distracting the faith in the Lord of salvation and focusing on other cults.

Paul will be even more precise: someone would come who would turn away from the truth and would replace God Himself (2 Thessalonians).

In the light of these introductory thoughts, an eschatological framework emerges with precise characteristics:

• Eschatological times would be characterized by the appearance of false christs and false prophets.

• The false prophets, that Peter also calls false doctors, would lead to ““destructive heresies”, heresies whose fruits would bring into perdition.

• The core of these heresies shall consist in “denying the Lord who bought them”.

• By using another concept, Paul states that the eschatological time would be characterized by an accentuated manifestation of the man of sin, who would introduce himself as someone who takes the place of the divinity (2 Thessalonians 2:2-10), a false Christ, using the words of Jesus.

Writings and expectations in the contemporary Christian world

In many non-Catholic circles, in particular in those more sensitive to the ecumenical recall, it is highlighted that no one can have preconceptions and maintain a stance characterized by the same tones that had been taken, for example, by Luther, who said that the head of the Roman church was the antichrist. Many Christians read today’s religious events in a completely different manner. Many believe and argue that the Roman church is in a changing process, that it is carrying the Bible to the people, it uses the Bible. Plus, there are no more crusades, persecution or inquisitions.

This detachment from the past, this wind of renewal is blowing mainly even because of the new strong drive that Pope Francis embeds on the catholic life.

And it is true that since his election, this pope has distinguished himself through a new vision and a new dynamism, with speeches and stances that surprised even the most progressive Catholics.

Under his pontificate not only churches, but even world authorities looks with renewed confidence and interest to the hierarchy that in the past has been paralyzed because of conservatism and for the coverage of some hidden and widespread evils among the clergy.

We cannot fail to notice that in the Christian galaxy the one who makes his voice heard against various forms of injustice is the head of the Catholic Church. He meets people as rarely has been done before. He expresses himself (and in this he continues with greater emphasis on the path already taken by his predecessor John Paul II on some hot issues of our times such as family and marriage – including, obviously, children. He rises his voice in defense of the environment, he condemns wars, social injustice, poverty, etc. … And, much more remarkable, he speaks and pushes forward for new evangelism.

Many see even more in it. They see a return of the church to the “Gospel” and they see it as a positive and necessary endeavor to be part of this ecumenical effort. The Anglicans, some historical Protestants, Methodists, Lutherans, some Orthodox and some charismatic Evangelicals are already in tune with this “saying”.

Let’s see if, by analyzing some facts and official documents of the Catholic church, the reasons that led reformers for five centuries have disappeared, or they are still in place, and again today do we still have to keep the distance from Rome according to the motto “Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solo Christo, Sola Scriptura”.

Let’s analyze some of the themes that in the past were reasons to separate from Rome and verify if now they are still present and in action.

The Indulgences

We start with what represented one of the detonating causes for Luther’s reform, the sale of indulgences, a practice that, in those years, was intensely promoted by Pope Leo X.

The practice of penances, background of indulgences

The doctrine of indulgences has been the result of a long process. It was initially connected with the practice of penitential discipline, but in time this doctrine has known constant changes. During the 5th century a change took place –the first one – in the doctrine of penances, from public action to private penitence.

From Penances to Indulgences

Progressively, from the 8th - 9th century, some elements were introduced into this penitential discipline that blossomed into the well-known indulgences. Basically, the act of granting (selling) indulgences was meant to replace the long penitence prescribed by the Penitential Books with shorter acts. This substitutionary system developed gradually from the 8th to 11th century and was included in the “legitimate” practices of the church during the councils of Châlons (813) and Paris (829).

In 1095, Pope Urban II proclaimed an indulgence that remitted “all sins” of crusaders, and it was precisely this indulgence the turning point into future concessions of every kind of indulgences.

At the end of the 13th century, it seems that the doctrine of indulgences was already grounded, with a formula that would become canonical in subsequent centuries. From this century on, history would witness their multiplication and the adjustment of the conditions that had to be fulfilled in order to receive them. The indulgences proclaimed through the bulls of Pope Leo X, on March 31st, 1515, on February 14th and at the beginning of 1517, then preached and revived in Germany by Johann Tetzel, led to Martin Luther’s reaction.¹

1.1. The reaction to Indulgencies

By posting the 95 theses on the door of the cathedral in the castle of Wittenberg –a normal procedure at the time –, Luther was asking religious leaders, Cardinal Alberto of Brandenburg Hohenzollern and Archbishop of Mainz in particular, and the public opinion in general, to discuss this issue.

After studying and teaching the epistles to the Galatians and to the Romans, it became clear for Luther that salvation was a gift by the grace of Christ alone, something that we grasp through faith alone. Merits, one’s own or those of other human mediators, the saints, the clergy or the popes with their indulgences, would not serve to anything, would not gain anything.

Luther’s arguments against this practice were very clear and direct: among the 95 the theses 1-4, 21, 43, 45, 66, 72, 75, 76, 81, 89, 91 gave voice to his aversion in a very precise way.

1.2. The contra reaction from Rome

The first who tried to refute Luther’s arguments was Johann Tetzel, who formulated 122 theses against Luther’s 95, but his attempt proved to be useless and produced the opposite effect. Public opinion became even more favorable to Luther.

The bull “Exsurge Domine” (Arise O Lord) whereby Pope Leo X contested, condemned and excommunicated Luther as a heretic on June 15th, 1520, did not succeed in hindering people’s consensus and enthusiasm around him.

The bull listed the mistakes imputed to Luther. There were 41 indications that also included a concise explanation of how indulgences should be understood. By studying these indications and contrasting them with various statements as well as with current practice in the Catholic Church, 500 years later, we understand the measures implemented later as well as the contemporary trend.

In order to control the tsunami of reformers of those centuries (especially with John Huss, Ulrich Zwingli, Martin Luther, John Calvin), the Catholic Church did not only resort to excommunications and convictions. It also tried to make adjustments regarding the practices of indulgences. This they did right away, during the Council of Trent (1545). In that meeting. the 25th session, was decided on this topic, in accordance with the ancient and approved custom in the Church, moderation was recommended and “all evil gains” abolished.

During the council it was also prescribed that any inconvenience should be reported by the bishops to the Sovereign Pontiff, “by whose authority and prudence that which may be expedient for the universal Church will be ordained, so that the gift of holy Indulgences may be dispensed to all the faithful and devoutly”.

From Counter-Reform to Vatican II

In 1667, Pope Clement IX organized the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, afterwards (1904) had been associated by Pope Pius X with the Sacred Congregation of Rites, two institutions related to the Office, who had to settle on everything concerning indulgences, both with regard to doctrine and to practice.”²

Paul VI and the doctrine of indulgences

After the Vatican II, in a new climate of renewal, Paul VI, through the apostolic constitution “Indulgentiarum Doctrina” This doctrine of indulgences was the one who gave an almost final word. In fact, this regulation remains valid and normative even now, since it has not been overruled or modified by any subsequent pontiff. A practical guidelines of this apostolic constitution have been made available to all believers in a publication entitled “Small handbook of indulgences”.³

What’s new in this document? What are the highlights of this doctrine of indulgences?

1. First of all, the pope links the practice of indulgences to the teachings of the apostles, who laid the foundation for divine justice.⁴ It requires a proportional punishment of the sinner for their sins. For a total remission of sin, repentance, confession, divine forgiveness and faith are not enough; it requires punishment.⁵ So far, everything Paul VI did was in accordance with the Council of Trent.

2. But after a few paragraphs, in the aforementioned apostolic constitution, the practice of indulgence for the dead that Leo X had abolished6 was reestablished. Paul VI wrote: “the faithful offer indulgences in suffrage for the dead”.7

3. At the end of his Apostolic Constitution, Paul VI wrote some rules of application, and at number 15 he states the following: “A plenary indulgence applicable only to the dead can be acquired in all churches” on the 2nd of November, the special day to commemorate the dead.

4. While the mass in suffrage is an intervention in favor of the deceased in purgatory through the Eucharistic sacrament and the mediation through the priest only, the indulgences can be obtained by all believers, for themselves and for their dear ones, alive or deceased. It is a practice where each believer can be active for the forgiveness of others.

Indulgences: consolidating a practice

This short analysis shows that with the passing of ages, indulgences have experienced a substantial evolution, from an act intended to “accept the punishment” for personal sins to a redemptive act done in favors for themselves and others. In paragraph 9 Paul the VI wrote: “Furthermore, the use of indulgences shows us how closely we are united to each other in Christ, … . Therefore the use of indulgences effectively influences charity in us in an outstanding manner when we offer indulgences as assistance to our brothers who rest in Christ”.

This means that there is solidarity among all believers, both between the living and among the deceased, and that the deceased intercede in cooperation with us for others. With the offer of an indulgence prepared and ordained by the pope, we participate actively in the redemption of others, especially of those in purgatory

Further developments with pope Francis

Pope Francis is walking the same path. Since the end of 2015 and practically through all 2016 an extraordinary jubilee was appointed to celebrate the mercy of forgiveness, reconciliation and experiencing God’s love. On the proclamation document of his first Jubilee, he states “A Jubilee also entails the granting of indulgences. This practice will acquire an even more important meaning in the Holy Year of Mercy”.⁸ Some important new practices are added:

Holy door in each cathedral. Pope Francis wrote:

I wish that the Jubilee Indulgence may reach everyone as a genuine experience of God’s mercy... To experience and obtain the Indulgence, the faithful are called to make a brief pilgrimage to the Holy Door, open in every Cathedral or in the churches designated by the Diocesan Bishop, and in the four Papal Basilicas in Rome... Each time that one of the faithful personally performs one or more of these actions, he or she shall surely obtain the Jubilee Indulgence.”⁹

Still for the deceased. Francis goes right on the path traced by Paul VI in his document mentioned above. In the bull published on September 1st, 2015, he defines a sensitive aspect of the indulgences for the deceased, it reads:

Furthermore, the Jubilee Indulgence can also be obtained for the deceased. We are bound to them by the witness of faith and charity that they have left us. Thus, as we remember them in the Eucharistic celebration, we can, in the great mystery of the Communion of the Saints, pray for them, that the merciful Face of the Father free them of every remnant of fault and strongly embrace them in the unending beatitude”.⁸

Sola gratia by Sola fide in Jesus Christ proclaimed by Sola Scriptura is not enough.

Mary, “the mother of God”

“If Christ is the model and the fullness of every believer, for Christians (Catholics), Mary is the prototype of the faith’s answer and experience”¹⁰. The chapter consecrated to Mary on the authoritative Catholic encyclopedia THEO reserves more than 50 pages. The worship dedicated to Mary belongs to the most important religious, spiritual and mystic Catholic traditions. It has been and is one of the most significant topics of devotion among many sincere Catholic and Orthodox believers.

In this chapter, as in the previous one, we’ll try to understand the evolution of the worship to Mary over time. What direction has it taken? What is its current trend?

Let’s take a quick look at Christian history while focusing on these questions.

The first three centuries, the first hints (up to the year 300)

Let’s start with a quotation¹¹: “For the Catholics, faith and devotion to the image of the Virgin Mary holds a relevant and very important place. Many think that the whole Bible encourages this point of view. However, if we carefully read the New Testament, we encounter a surprise: she has not been assigned an important or transcendent role. The first New Testament’s writings are those from the apostle Paul. There you find three references to the birth of Jesus, but Mary is never mentioned. We find the first reference in the epistle to the Philippians, where we find the claim that Jesus “was made in the likeness of man” (Phi 2.7). The second is in Romans, which states that Jesus “was made of the seed of David, according to the flesh” (Ro 1:3). The third, more explicit, is in the letter to the Galatians: “ But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman.” Paul never mentions and give a role to Mary”¹². The same emphasis is found in the Enciclopedia Cattolica¹³.

The first discussion on Mary dates back to the second century and are found in the apocryphal writings, the Protoevangelium of James ¹⁴ and the Odes of Solomon¹⁵. They are not linked to the worship of Mary, something still inexistent, but related to her virginity. The debate was essentially related to the conception of Jesus through the Holy Spirit without sexual intercourse with Joseph.

We find the same thing in the writings of some fathers of the Church. Ignatius of Antioch, who died in 107th A.D., underlines the greatness of Mary’s virginity in order to defend the incarnation of Christ and his divine nature as generated by the Holy Spirit.¹⁶ Justin, in his Omelia sulla Pasqua talks about Mary in relation to her virginity, which represents a fundamental aspect of his (Justin’s) Christological presentation¹⁷. Melito of Sardis (contemporary of Justin) puts the same emphasis when talking about Mary, underlining the importance of her virginity as a sign of the divine nature of Jesus and her total submission to God.

Irenaeus of Lyon (death around the year 200) puts the same emphasis. He also underlines the salvific action of Christ that has such a strength thanks, as well, to the fact that He was born from a virgin. He writes: “Those who say that he is only a man born from Joseph (...) denying the Emmanuel born from a Virgin, are deprived of his gift, that is, eternal life; and not accepting the Verb, giver of incorruptibility, they remain within a mortal flesh and are tributaries of death, because they don’t receive the life antidote.” ¹⁸.

Despite the fact that Hebert Thurston, English Jesuit theologian (1856-1939) defined Irenaeus as the first developer of a Virgin Mother’s theology, Irenaeus, in his writings, does not affirm such ideas. The theme will be developed in the future Council of Ephesus (431 a.D.) and after. The THEO Encyclopedia indicates only that Irenaeus is the father of the Church that attributes to Mary the role of witness of God’s love towards humans¹⁹. In fact, in the writings of Irenaeus we do not find any reference to acts of worship with prayers or invocations to Mary. Irenaeus instead talks of Mary and her experience as the Savior’s mother.

Luca Gallo, a graduate from the Catania Catholic Theological Seminary, in his thesis on MARY IN THE DOCTRINE AND WORSHIP OF THE 2ND CENTURY, available for download on the Internet and published on the Yumpu platform, tried to demonstrate the existence of the worship of Mary in the 2nd century. However, he does not provide a single writing or reference with direct and formal declarations of acts of worship directed to Mary. He reports Pope Paul VI’s thinking as affirming the role of Mary as mediator²⁰.

Limiting ourselves to these two first centuries we can see that we don’t have from the apostles, or from the apostle’s disciples or from the leaders of primitive Christianity a single formal declaration of the worship to virgin Mary. And if it existed, it would never be more than a thought of a particular thinker!

Giovanni Miegge²¹, theologian, writer, author of a valuable “Bible Dictionary”, writes on this topic: “Among the sub-apostolic literature from the first half of the second century reigns an almost complete silence on the Virgin Mary. The Didache, Clement of Rome, the epistle of pseudo Barnabas, Hermas, Polycarp, the epistle of Diognetus (in its authentic part), the greatest apologist, Athenagora, Tatian, Theophilus, the conserved fragments of the Apology of Hermias, Quadratus, Ariston, Miltiades, they never mention her. Ignatius of Antioch, in his epistles, mentions Mary sometimes, and Aristides does it once, in the Armenian fragments of his Apology to Hadrianus; these are not the signs of the birth of a doctrine²².

The THEO Encyclopedia, after presenting the thinking of these people, quotes Origen who wrote²³: “Mary, as any other person, at the foot of the Cross, doubted.”

Mary is officially taken into account (from 300 to 600)

Again THEO²⁴ read: “the development of devotion and the theological consideration towards Mary begins concretely with Ambrosius of Milan²⁵, He articulated the figure of Mary as a model for all”.

In these years we see the firsts proclamations on Mary. In particular from the statements of Aurelius, Ambrosius and Epiphanius of Salamis. These declarations led to the firsts important official decisions concerning Mary, decisions which would later become dogmas. The first decision on the virginity of Mary at the first Council of Nicaea, in 325. Then, the Council of Ephesus, in 431, recognized Mary as “the Mother of God” (Theotókos), and the Council in Constantinople, in 553, described her as being “ever virgin”. The so-called perpetual virginity of Mary would be constantly reaffirmed in the following centuries, but 1200 years would pass before the church adopted other official decisions.

1200 years of almost silence..., until 1850

During these twelve centuries we have only a few but significant statements, all made by prominent figures that were later sanctified. We have found them all in the THEO Catholic encyclopaedia.²⁶

Gregory of Tours. (538 - 594). He was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, a leading prelate. He adopted the name Gregorius in honor of his maternal great-grandfather. He was one of the first to propose the theology of the assumption of Mary in heaven.

Pope Sergius I (650 - 701), introduced some festivals dedicated to Mary on the religious calendar, including the most important one on August 15, today the feast of the Assumption. John of Damascus (676 - 749), also known as John Damascene, he was a Syrian monk and priest. Born and raised in Damascus, he died at his monastery, Mar Saba, near Jerusalem. He was one of the last Greek fathers, while supporting the duty to worship only God he introduced and supported the need to venerate the Virgin Mary daily.

Bernard of Clairvaux, (Born in Fontaine-les-Dijon the 1090, died in Clairvaux Abbey the 1153). He was a French abbot and the primary reformer of the Cistercian order. After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. He was one of the most devoted singers of Mary of all time, he introduced many liturgical elements for the veneration of Mary. He went on to promote the idea of the Immaculate Conception. While his intentions did not gain much ground, his ideas became seeds for futures developments. One in particular is reported by a voluminous document coordinated by Stefano Flores and Luigi Gambero,²⁷ where it’s written: “Christ entrusts his mother every grace to be distributed to others.”

Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274). He was an Italian philosopher, theologian, Dominican friar, Catholic priest, Doctor of the Church and jurist. He was a determined opponent to the emergent thought of Mary born without original sin, an idea for him theologically unfounded.

John Duns Scotus (1266 - 1308), commonly called Duns Scotus, is generally considered to be one of the three most important philosopher-theologians of the High Middle Ages. He is one of the four greater philosophers of High Scholasticism. He had considerable influence on both Catholic and secular thought. He participated in the debate on the immaculate conception, and with his argument has greatly influenced the subsequent development of this belief and of the dogma.

Great impact on the clergy, on the nobles and on the people has been the role of Alphonsus Liguori (1696 – 1787), considered a doctor of the Roman Catholic Church.²⁸ In his book “The Glories of Mary”, explained how God gave to mankind Mary as the Door of Heaven, quoting Bonaventure, he wrote: “No one can enter Heaven except through Mary, as if through a door.”²⁹ His theology had a great impact in the subsequent Catholic decisions.

During this long period, that is, from the second century onwards, there were a number of personal positions but none from official assemblies.³⁰

The exponential development of Mary’s figure and worship (from 1850 until today)

The change in intensity and frequency is great. If in 16 centuries we have five official interventions, in the last two centuries, there have been six documents.

Let’s look briefly at these important points of the Catholic dogma by using statements included in the Catechism of the Catholic Church³¹ and other official documents.

• December 8th, 1854. Dogma on the Immaculate Conception, “Ineffabilis Deus”. This is a statement that brings to completion centuries of affirmations on the worship of Mary.³²

• November 1st, 1950. Dogma of the Assumption body and soul, “Munificentissimus Deus”.³³ This identify is not only a role, but declares that, with “Mary’s assumption to heaven, now she is the Queen of Heaven and Earth”.³⁴ It is for this that the Church calls Mary “Regina Coeli”.

• November 21st, 1964. Dogmatic Constitution “Lumen Gentium”, the second official document produced by Vatican II. The last chapter, the eighth, of this important "dogmatic" document is dedicated to THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF GOD. Various of the ideas, as “dogmas” are gathered in it, most of the time only personal, that over the centuries have been expressed with thoughts and concepts. Below we propose some of these statements we find them concentrated in these 17 paragraphs. “she being obedient, became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race. … Comparing Mary with Eve, they call her the Mother of the living, we say: "death through Eve, life through Mary”. Some paragraphs later we read: “the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all guilt of original sin, on the completion of her earthly sojourn, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen of the universe”. Then: “Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this salvific duty, but by her constant intercession continued to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation. … Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix”.³⁵

• February 2nd, 1974. Apostolic Exhortation “Marialis Cultus”. Through this “apostolic exhortation, Pope Paul VI intends to convert the theological understanding on Mary into the life, the devotion, the spirituality of the church and of the believers. The ground for this practical application is identified in this document on worship, that is, the fundamental exercises of religious life. In this exhortation, Paul VI goes beyond the constitutive factors of Christian worship and emphasize that the acts of worship are directed to Mary, led by Mary, offered to the Trinity through Mary.³⁶

• March 25th, 1987. The encyclical “Redemptoris Mater”. In many aspects, this document represents the most articulate statement on Mary’s worship. From this document her role in Catholicism becomes exponential. This is how the Pope introduces the encyclical: “The Mother of the Redeemer has a precise place in the plan of salvation.”³⁷ But this is not the main novelty. In this encyclical, Pope John Paul II adds, among other things, another important aspect of mediation, an aspect that we have not found in any of the previous documents. With her assumption, writes the Pope, Mary enters into a new dimension of her mediation. She doesn’t only become the mediator between Christ and us, but the Pope adds that Mary plays a role in the Second Coming of Christ, the role of “mediatrix of mercy at His final coming”.³⁸

• November 6th, 2003. Apostolic Letter “Rosarium Virginis Mariae”, the last document on Mary, by Pope John Paul II. This apostolic letter on the Rosary expresses his profound Marian sentiment. In the Paragraph 24 of his Apostolic Letter the Pope somehow coined a new concept: Mary, and more especially, the ritual prayer to Mary, the "Rosary" is the favorite way to have access to the grace of Christ that is the “blessed fruit of her womb”.³⁹

Let’s add to the list the affirmations on Mary of the last two pontiffs.

• The first one, Benedict XVI, a few months before his abdication, he celebrated the 160th anniversary since the publication of the devotion handbook, prepared by Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, canonized on July 20th 1947 by Pope Pius XII.⁴⁰ The TREATISE ON THE TRUE DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY summarizes the teachings regarding Mary. Montfort wrote: “It is by the most holy Virgin Mary that Jesus has come into the world, and it is also by her that He will reign on the world.”⁴¹ Citing this ancient text, Benedict XVI made it his own and proposed it for our time.

• Pope Francis made no exception, a few months after his election, he published his first encyclical, LUMEN FIDEI (the light of faith), on June 29th, 2013. The second part of the encyclical is dedicated to Mary. In the paragraphs 59 and 60, the Pope wrote: “Because of her close bond with Jesus, Mary is strictly connected to what we believe. As Virgin and Mother, Mary offers us a clear sign of Christ’s divine sonship … Let us turn in prayer to Mary, Mother of the Church and Mother of our faith. Let say Mother, help our faith!”.⁴²

• But Pope Francis, has said more, in the middle of 2015 he announced the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, here he had been more direct and with more advanced statement than any other previous teaching about Mary done in the history of the church. At the end his Bull of Induction of the Jubilee he wrote: “My thoughts now turn to the Mother of Mercy. May the sweetness of her countenance watch over us in this Holy Year, so that all of us may rediscover the joy of God’s tenderness. No one has penetrated the profound mystery of the incarnation like Mary. Her entire life was patterned after the presence of mercy made flesh. The Mother of the Crucified and Risen One has entered the sanctuary of divine mercy because she participated intimately in the mystery of His love. Chosen to be the Mother of the Son of God, Mary, from the outset, was prepared by the love of God to be the Ark of the Covenant between God and man”.⁴³ With this declaration Pope Francis communicated the synthesis and the sum of almost all the declarations on the Virgin Mary expressed in fifteen centuries.⁴⁴

Conclusion, the Virgin Mary, an increasing role

Having presented this historical path with a list of facts, documents, authoritative statements, and dogmas (through encyclicals and apostolic letters of various popes), what was true about indulgences is also true about Mary. We can say that the role of the Virgin Mary has increasingly gained importance. Believers address their petition to the Virgin Mary five time more than Jesus.⁴⁵

The authoritative Catholic scholar Massimo Introvigne⁴⁶ penned: “there is a return to the figure of the old Goddess Mother (the Dea Mater), superimposed to the Virgin Mary of Apparitions and Dogmas. Such a Catholic devotion to the Madonna is precisely an unconscious reference to Dea Mater”.⁴⁷ This religious phenomenology is increasing, finding greater echo in other Christian environments. The authors of the book Queen of All declare that “the Queen of Heaven is truly gathering massive, global followers from every religion and race.… the world is looking for a heavenly Mother – one who is tender, merciful, and non-judgmental, with the power and influence to solve our problems. This is the inner reason, the common reason for this universal attraction.”⁴⁸

For this religious phenomenology a large number of popes of the last two centuries played an important role in this increasing interest. with pronouncements, Dogmas, Encyclical and apostolic letters.

Veneration and/or worship of the saints

Holiness is one of the great themes of the Bible

All Scripture is full of statements on God’s absolute holiness⁴⁹ and invitations to every man to share and strive to follow this path.⁵⁰

Therefore, the issue is not the calling to holiness, but the way it was and it still is administered. The issue is not the tension towards holiness; as Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini wrote about 30 years ago, for our time, the greater need is for saints. The question, Martini continues, is that we focus on the holiness of the elite.⁵¹

The issue that we are going to discuss here is that of canonization. What is it?

We quote the Catholic Encyclopaedia on line: “Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares that a person who has died is a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the "canon", or list, of recognized saints. Originally, a person was recognized as a saint without any formal process. Later, different processes were developed, such as those used today in the Anglican Communion, Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church”.⁵²

For the Catholic Church, this is a very important point

The Roman Catholic Church has a well-established doctrine on this item. It has been revised by Vatican II. The Catholic Encyclopaedia reports: “The Catholic Church canonizes or beatifies those whose lives have been marked by the exercise of heroic virtue, and only after this has been proved by common priority for sanctity and by conclusive arguments. The chief difference, however, lies in the meaning of the term canonization, the Church seeing in the saints nothing more than friends and servants of God whose lives have made them worthy of His special love. …., in the Catholic doctrine we have specific teaching on this item. The priority or strict priority in adoration is given to God; the priority worship of dulia (douleia), or honour and humble reverence, is paid to the saints; the worship of hyperdulia a higher form of dulia, belongs, on account of her greater excellence, to the Blessed Virgin Mary”.⁵³

The development of a dogma

Since there is no trace of such a practice in the Scripture, where was it born and how does it develop?

This doctrine has been developed over time, with the contribution of numerous influences to which, as we can easily see, a subsequent contribution resumes, partially modifies and amplifies the previous one. We mention some well-known people who, over time, contributed to the development of this “tradition”: Tertullian (b. 155, d. 230), Augustine of Hippo (b. 354, d. 430), Gregory the Great, (pope from 590 to 604), Sistus V (pope from 1585 to 1590),⁵⁴ Benedict XIV (pope from 1740 to 1758), then Vatican II, whose deliberations on this issue were also partly included in Lumen Gentium (chapter V, The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church). Paul VI, on March 19th, 1969, also published an apostolic letter (Sanctitas Clarior) in which he confirmed, in an unquestionable and absolute manner, the doctrine and the practice of beatification and canonization.⁵⁵ Then Pope John Paul II, in his Apostolic Constitution DIVINUS PERFECTIONIS MAGISTER, made changes to the previous rules. He introduced his Constitution document with a strong sentence: “Therefore, having abrogated all laws of any kind which pertain to this matter, we establish that these following norms are henceforth to be observed”.⁵⁶

Even Pope Benedict XVI introduced other rules. He added a few paragraphs and he defined the Causes of Saints as one of the 'major causes'. The new chapter includes the established “New Instructions for Bishops”. The Pope ends his regulatory indication on an even stronger note: “Pope alone decides on devotion. To be consistent with these Instructions, elected to the Chair of Peter, I was glad to act on the widespread desire that greater emphasis be placed in their celebration on the essential difference between beatification and canonization, and that the particular Churches be more visibly involved in Rites of Beatification on the understanding that the Roman Pontiff alone is competent to declare a devotion to a servant of God”.⁵⁷

From these few notes, we can see how much the practice has developed and consolidated over time. Even though the authors quoted make continuous reference to their predecessors in their statements, making the claim that this practice has characterized the Catholic Church throughout its history, since its beginnings, the fact that during the past ten centuries the topic has been given more and more space makes us think that this is a practice that does not come down from the apostolic time.

Beginnings and consolidation of the process of canonization of saints

The more we go back in time, the less evidence we find on the practice of canonization. The online Catholic Encyclopaedia Cathopedia proposes a date for the beginning of the practice, between the first and the second millennium: “In 933 was the first time when the practice of the canonization was deep discussed at the Roman synod.” In a wish to look further behind, Cathopedia refers to the time of the Carolingians, a few decades earlier – that is, in the second half of the 9th century: “A first form of the canonization process is fixed in the Carolingian era.”⁵⁸

This timeline is confirmed by Wikipedia, which states: “During the first five centuries of the Christian community, there are no direct references to saints…”⁵⁹ There is a sort of recognition of the Christian testimony of the martyrs. The church acknowledges and expresses its admiration for their testimonies, taking them as a model, but we do not yet find real acts of devotion to this witness of faith.

All this information is found in Kenneth L. Woodward’s well-documented work: “Making Saints: How the Catholic Church Determines Who becomes a Saint, who Doesn’t and why”. In the 2nd chapter, the author analyses the issue of canonization and the veneration of saints,⁶⁰ in the 3rd chapter he develops, in a very incisive way, the role of the institution who creates these saints.⁶¹ Woodward confirms the hypothesis that the practice as we know it today was absent from the church religion for the first five centuries. At the time it was only about remembering the history and life lessons taught by martyrs, because this was the term used to define them. The word “holy” was not used, nor were the canonization processes with their specific rituals.

The second millennium sees the progress in the formulation of ecclesiastical dictates and there is also intensification in recognising the figures of saints and in acts of canonization. The Catholic encyclopaedia Cathopedia states that Urban II (pope from 1088 to 1099) began a process of centralizing the issue of canonization. Then Pope Alexander III (from 1159 to 1181) claimed to have the power to identify a person as a saint in order to maintain uniformity in worship. This centralization was then confirmed by Gregory IX (pope from 1227 to 1241).⁶²

From that time on, the transition from the first millennium until today has seen a gradual intensification of the practice of beatification and canonization, accompanied by a progressive incentive to devotion to these saints through more and more frequent declarations of the clergy who made it an increasingly recurring theme.

The numbers speak for themselves. Vatican’s official website⁶³, Martyrologium Romanum, presents the updated list of all the saints to which the church’s liturgical calendar devotes a day, and there are thousands.⁶⁴ Bibliotheca Sanctorum, the encyclopaedia asked for by Vatican II, allows us to know them closely. The website of the Catholic Church www.santiebeati.it introduces this work as follows: “This is the first and the most complete review – conducted with scientific rigor – of all of the most significant figures of the Old and New Testament, figures who took, in various times, forms of worship. We find Saints, Blessed ones, Venerable, and Servants of God. For each item, we find examinations of the life of the person, the result of his ministry, their influence in literature, science, and social life.”⁶⁵ This encyclopaedia indicated around 30.000 including Saints, Venerable, Servants of God and Blessed ones. Of course, the canonized saints are many less. They are calculated to be a few thousand, but the data does not match and is uncertain.

Journalist Ignazio Ingrao⁶⁶, Vatican correspondent of the weekly Italian newspaper Panorama, wrote a documented article entitled “La Fabbrica dei Santi” (The Factory of Saints), from which we quote a paragraph that offers us an interesting picture of the trend: “From 1588, when pope Sixtus V set the criteria for the acknowledgement of holiness, until the election of John Paul II in 1978, the Roman Catholic Church offered 302saints to popular devotion. Only 25 years of pontificate were enough for pope Wojtyla to proclaim 482 new saints. To this “army” of saints he added an even greater number of blessed ones (beatus) proclaimed during his pontificate: 1,338.”⁶⁷ On the same page, Ingrao adds: “With Pope Francis, the factory of saints was reopened. After only 50 days into his pontificate, the Argentinian pontiff had already proclaimed 11 blessed and 9 venerable and, above all, he planned to sanctify John XXIII and John Paul II”. Their canonization took place on April 27th, 2014. But this was only the beginning, just to focus on the last event we discover interesting data: the 15 of October 2017, Pope Francis canonized 33 new saints, 30 Brazilians, and 3 Mexicans⁶⁸. Sunday 22 of October 2017, 109 new beatifications, all monks and nuns, has been declared in Barcelona.⁶⁹

Conclusion

At the end of this chapter we must come to the same conclusions as we did in the previous two chapters. In a religious practice that distinguishes the Catholic Church from the Christian galaxy (but which is not the exclusive prerogative of the Roman Catholic Church; the Orthodox have the same practice, Anglicans too but less), the trend is progressing fast in a direction that we believe does not correspond to any biblical teaching. We rather believe it is an antipode.

It is true, as we have mentioned above, for the Catholic church the “priority in adoration is given to God”. But, we have seen, there are various kinds of worship: “the worship of dulia (douleia), or honour and humble reverence, is paid to the saints. The worship of hyperdulia, a higher form of dulia, belongs, on account to Mary”.

We should underline, however, that this dulia or hyperdulia includes an act that, in the light of the biblical message, is one of the highest acts of adoration: that is prayer. Prayer includes praise, petitions, intercessions; acts for witch God want exclusiveness. We can affirm that prayer is one of the highest acts of worship!

A survey organized and published by the Italian daily newspaper “La Repubblica” (the second Italian daily paper), conducted on a national sample of committed Catholics, has determined that 70% of those who answered have invoked some help in prayer. Of these, 31% turn their prayers to Padre Pio, 25% to Saint Anthony, and 9% to Virgin Mary. They were followed by 7% to St. Francis, 4% to Santa Rita and St. Joseph and only 2% to Jesus. God the Father is after the first 20!⁷⁰ Because only God knows the heart of humans, one could conclude that declaring someone holy and elevating them to the altars is one of the most questionable religious acts.

The question is: “Can a human institution take on a role that belongs only to God? But there is an even greater need to ask ourselves: can a human institution assume the authority to establish and order to its own believers to elevate acts of cult, prayers and praise to someone other than God? This is the question we will try to answer in the next chapter on the primacy of Peter.

The Petrine Ministry

Introduction

The topics we have discussed up to here (there are others that could be discussed) seem to us enough to identify the trend that has been developed in these three important areas, such as indulgences, Mary worship and veneration of saints. These topics are intensely and deeply impacting the religious live and experience of millions of Catholic believers and not only. Almost paradoxical situations if we analyze them in the light of the survey that provides the grotesque figures according to which only 2% is addressing prayers to Jesus and God the Father is almost absent from Catholic popular religion.

These few themes…

These doctrinal topics dealt with until now are difficult to be supported with the Bible. In presenting them we have used mainly Catholic sources. While reading various materials, the first finding is that, in order to give substance to the positions assumed in time by some church fathers, some theologians, and by councils and various popes have been grounded not from the Scriptures, but from the history of the church. From ancient customs, and, especially from the “sacred tradition”.

Holy Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, Ordained Magisterium

In the Catholic understanding the “Sacred Tradition” is as normative as the revelation of the Holy Scriptures, and almost everything was developed on this axiom. This has been confirmed by Vatican II, according to which the content of sacred books can be received through the sacred tradition: “Through the same tradition the Church's full canon of the sacred books is known, and the sacred writings themselves are more profoundly understood and unceasingly made active”.⁷¹

This doctrinal formulation of the church dates back to 1965 during Vatican II and it was reiterated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church⁷², whose most recent edition is from 1992.⁷³ Then, in 2005, pope Benedict XVI made a summary of it, the “Compendium of Catechism”. In it, Benedict XVI is even more exhaustive on this specific point, he wrote: “Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium are so closely united with each other that one of them cannot stand without the others. Working together, each in its own way, under the action of the one Holy Spirit, they all contribute effectively to the salvation of souls”.⁷⁴

Everything is justified and supported through the authority of the Petrine Ministry

It is significant that when Benedict XVI talked about the role of the Sacred Revelation and that of the Sacred Tradition emphasized that between these two “channels” of Divine revelation prevailed, on infallibility, the Petrine Ministry. In the same mentioned Compendium, the Pope summarizes in a sentence the paragraphs 85-110 of the Catechism delivered to the church by his predecessor. Here is what Benedict XVI states: “The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the deposit of faith has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone, that is, to the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome, and to the bishops in communion with him. To this Magisterium, which in the service of the Word of God enjoys the certain charism of truth, belongs also the task of defining dogmas which are formulations of the truths contained in divine Revelation. This authority of the Magisterium also extends to those truths necessarily connected with Revelation”.⁷⁵

Therefore everything – the sacred tradition, the true and sure interpretation of Scripture, are delivered as truth to the people of God – through a major foundation and channel: the pope in his exercise of the “Petrine ministry”.

In this fourth chapter, we will discuss this topic of the “Petrine ministry” that constitutes the dogmatic support for all the previous ones.

How did the “church’s fathers” have seen the rise of one FIRST among them?

The understanding on a Petrine primacy up to the 5th century

In the officials statements of the Catholic Church we read that the Peter’s primacy is rooted in the statements of Jesus to Peter (Mathew 16:18, John 21:18). This is what it is said and that many believe. But if everything is so clear and obvious, how do we explain the statements of the church during the first five centuries, statements going in a different opposite direction. For example, the Histoire abregée de l’Eglise, written by Emile Guers⁷⁶ (historian and Theologian of Geneva, a born Catholic who became Protestant and then went back to Catholicism), brought something very interesting that Gregory the great wrote about it: “Persevere in the true faith, firmly base your life on the rock of the Church, Jesus, that is, on the confession of St. Peter, the prince of the apostles.” Popes Felix III (526-530), Nicholas I (858-867) and John VIII (872-882) still gave this explanation. Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury in the eleventh century, explained: “I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock that is Jesus I will build my church”.⁷⁷

In this simple statement there is a double conclusion: one is that the text does not read as Jesus assigning Peter the role of “foundation” of his church. That foundation can be only Jesus. On the other hand, there is, however an acknowledgement of Peter’s responsibility, a sort of presidency. Even more clear is what Professor Fausto Salvoni⁷⁸ writes on Matthew 16: “Many are the Fathers that dealt with this matter! Yet none of those commentaries, which are still at hand, as Origen, Crysostomus, Ilario, Augustine, Cirillo, Theodorer, no one explanations gathered in tomes have considered, not even a mention, that the primacy of Rome was the result of the mission given to Peter and of the promises he had received. Not even one of them interpreted the “stone” as the foundation upon which Christ wanted to build His church as a special assignment entrusted to Peter and as something inherently transmissible after him. Through this, they understood Christ Himself, or Peter’s professed faith in Christ.”⁷⁹ Salvoni expresses a radical position when he writes “not even one”. Fausto Salvoni, former Catholic, former leader in the Catholic Church, former Roman Catholic priest, had a clear understanding on what primacy meant. That primacy that he had personally met did not exist during the early centuries of the church.⁸⁰ This is about the interpretation of the words of Jesus we read in Matthew and John.

But we cannot limit ourselves to this, there is more

We need to see how things have been applied at the time, how the primacy of the Petrine ministry went on and which are the current trends in the Christian world?

Let’s discuss an episode and two statements that would clarify things for us. The episode took place at the end of the fifth century, in 588 when, according to “tradition”, the role of the popes should had been absolutely consolidated.

We quote a sentence from the documented work of Adelio Pellegrini⁸¹: ““When John the fasting, bishop of Constantinople, took, in 588 the title of “OECUMENICAL” and “UNIVERSAL BISHOP”, the bishop of Rome, Pelagio II, strongly rejected this claim defining it as: abominable, blasphemous and diabolic.” This event, this information was even included in the second volume of the Dizionario delle date, dei fatti, luoghi ed uomini storici (Dictionary of Historical Dates, Facts, Places and Men),⁸² and is also reported in the Enciclopedia Italiana Treccani (Treccani Italian Encyclopedia).⁸³

Gregory the great, who became bishop of Rome (in retrospect called pope and century after canonized, probably by Pope Urban VII in the XVI century) was even more explicit. Here is how clear he was: “To cure and govern the Church, this is his task, and yet he is not called the Universal Apostle. But John the fasting, this holy man, my companion in service, made efforts to be called “universal bishop”. After saying that because various heresies came from those parts (the Orient), he added: “But far from Christians to adopt this blasphemous name... none of [the Rome bishops] either assumed or consented to use it, lest, while this privilege should be given to one, all others should be deprived of that honor which is due unto them. This man (John the fasting), contemning obedience to the canons, should be humbled by the commands of the emperor. He should be chastised who does an injury to the holy Catholic Church!”⁸⁴

Where and when did this “heresy” appears

This clear understanding was the idea of many, we could mention Ciprian, Athanasius, Eusebius of Caesarea, Methodius, Victorinus, Isidore of Pelusium, Theodoret, Sulpicius Severus, Ambrosiaster, Oecumenis, John Chrysostom, Jerome the Great. This latter wrote: “It is clear that the action of the Antichrist is not anti-Christianity, and giving up entirely on the Christian religion, but also is an abominable heresy that is prevailing in the Church... this heresy will manifest itself within the Church.”⁸⁵

Hippolytus, bishop of Rome around year 250, interpreted the prophecies of Daniel and Paul and wrote: “he who is still opposing up to this moment, it is the fourth beast, which will be succeeded by the seducer.”⁸⁶ Jerome the Great and Hippolytus emphasize the characteristic of the enemy on which Paul writes to the Thessalonians. And Hippolytus comments: “it will not be one who fights the church from the outside, but one who will seduce it from within.”⁸⁷

What was the mechanism that has led to the formation of the Petrine primacy?

While we fully respect the right of who believes the origins of the Petrine ministry with Peter, we believe the reality is different and propose here another History witnessed and written by authoritative scholars who are in harmony with the information received from authoritative early Christians, commonly called “fathers of the Church.”

Until the fall of the Roman Empire, even with more or less intense interference from the political powers and the influx of philosophical currents, the Christian church has not seen the emergence of a Petrine ministry as it has been understood later by Catholics Magisterium.

But in the same time span, from the apostolic time into the fifth century step by step a religious and civil process took place and produced the postulations for what was going to happen from the fifth century onward.

Religious, social and political factors that have led to an evolution

Here is how Italian historian Giorgio Spini⁸⁸ describes the effects of the collapse of the Roman empire on the church: “The Christian church in the West stays as a surviving refuge of Latin civilization in the great shipwreck. As barbarians invade the territories, devastating and killing, the imperial magistrates flee, while even the military commanders bend, for the terrorized population there was only one unyielding authority who stands in his own dwelling (and in his own city): the Christian bishop... From a simple religious authority, he becomes in short range of time the sole only authority consequently, not only a spiritual, but also civil and political”.⁸⁹

If step by step, the bishop of each city took the place left empty by the prefect, in the capital city of the empire, from where all leaders, including the emperor, had fled, the bishop of Rome assumed a superior role, so that, with the Christian Emperor Theodosius and with the bishop of Rome Gregory the great, the rule-ship passed from imperial Rome to Papal Rome. But this transfer of authority was not only due to the events taking place, but it also gained a legal investiture through an important imperial legitimacy.

Justinian and the bishop of Rome

A formal but very important law was adopted by Emperor Justinian who in his CORPUS JURIS CIVILIS, recognizes the bishop of Rome as the first among all, and the archbishop of Constantinople (or the new Rome) the second, after the one of ancient Rome.⁹⁰ This important legitimacy took place on March 26th, 533.

This interdependence between the religious and the political role of the bishop had already been, in some way, inaugurated by Constantine when as emperor assembled and chaired over the Nicaea Council. About a century ago, historian Albert Henry Newman wrote: “As Roman Emperor, Constantine was Pontifex Maximus of the state religion; when Christianity, following his edict, became predominant. He wanted to maintain the same title in relation to the new religion”.⁹¹ With him starts the political and religious authority in Christianity on one person.

From this set of events the church of the Middle Ages developed and took identity, inheriting, on the one hand, the Christian tradition, and on the other hand, the organizational structure of the Roman Empire and its juridical law. These successions on events determined the religious-political development of the Christian church, even the titles had belonged to the emperor gradually became the ones of the bishop of Rome like the title of Pontifex Maximus, that of Divus and that of monarch/emperor. This role and power were repeatedly assumed over the centuries.

One of the first pontiffs to endorse these titles was Boniface VIII. Alexander Clarence Flink wrote: “The papal theory that stated that Pope was God's representative on Earth and that the same political authority receives his right from Peter's successor was supported by Nicola I, Ildebrando, Alexander III, Innocent III, and culminated with Boniface VIII, when at the 1300 Jubilee, sitting on the throne of Constantine carrying the imperial crown and the royal scepter, cried out to the pilgrims: 'I AM CAESAR, I AM THE EMPEROR'!”⁹²

For this kind of ecclesiastical and political authority therefore we have to deduce that primacy as is traditionally proposed has no biblical foundation. Never Jesus in His teaching and in His practice assume this role. The kingdom He founded is not of this world.

Rome, from the Middle Ages to the present

From Boniface VIII, we come directly to our days, moving through fundamental dogmas that have marked years of Rome's history: the primacy and the infallibility established at Vatican I.⁹³ So let us now see the various steps that have been produced in recent centuries, from Boniface VIII to this day to understand the passage and the trend that has been produced.

The principal steps

• The dogma of Infallibility, 18 July 1870, Pope Pius IX declare the dogma with the encyclical letter Pastor Aeternus.

• Papal Encyclical, PRAECLARA GRATULATIONIS, 20 June 1894. Pope Leo XIII affirms: “We are on earth vicars of Almighty God”.

• Vatican II which vote a constitution that reads: “The Pope is by divine institution covered with supreme, immediate and universal full power.”⁹⁴

• Paul VI in Lumen Gentium addressing both to pastors and faithful believer wrote: “In virtue of his office as Vicar of Christ and pastor of the whole Church, the Roman Pontiff has full, supreme and universal power over the Church. … For our Lord placed Simon alone as the rock and the bearer of the keys of the Church, and made him shepherd of the whole flock”.⁹⁵

• John Paul II, in the 25 January 1983 signed with his imprimatur the new Code of Canon Law,⁹⁶ we read: “By virtue of his office the pope detains the highest, the fullest and the immediate and appropriate power. He is free to exercise it at any time .... It is his divine right. ... He is above the Council and the College of Bishops. His decisions must not be approved or corrected by anyone. No court can appeal against them. The pope is the highest legislator, the highest judge, the one who has the highest executive power. His "ex-cathedra" are infallible and compulsory for the entire church. He does not need its consent! As bishop in the service of the saints He is the Supreme Pontiff who dispenses the mysteries of God. His power is universal!”⁹⁷

• Always John Paul II, in his last book, Crossing the Threshold of Hope wrote some clear statements concerning the understanding of his mandate: “The Pope is considered the man on earth who represents the Vicar of the Son of God, who takes the place of the Second Person of the omnipotent God of the Trinity”.⁹⁸

• Pope Benedict XVI didn’t affirm anything concerning the role of the Pope, but he expressed his understanding of his pontifical role by correcting the previous documents on the canonization of the saints: “Pope alone decides on devotion. To be consistent with these Instructions, elected to the Chair of Peter, I was glad to act on the widespread desire that greater emphasis be placed in their celebration on the essential difference between beatification and canonization, and that the particular Churches be more visibly involved in Rites of Beatification on the understanding that the Roman Pontiff alone is competent to declare a devotion to a Servant of God”.⁹⁹

• We end this section with some considerations made by Pope Francis on how he interprets the “Petrine Ministry”. In the papal Bull announcing the Jubilee of mercy he made two statements in which he shows a further step in the expression of his Pontifical Ministry. Pope Francis, for its Jubelee makes an unprecedented act that says much about the way he sees his role. He ordained special “missionaries of mercy” and he said: “These special missionaries are priests to whom I will grant the authority to pardon even those sins reserved to the Holy See” (see chapter one on Indulgencies). He has authority to forgive sins and he has authority to delegate others the forgiveness of sins.

At the end of this excursus we conclude with a synthesis presented by Dr. Samuele Bachiocchi at the end of his long career as a History teacher at Andrews Theological Seminary. This is the synthesis he made on the development of the “Petrine Ministry” in history:

• in the firsts centuries he was the Bishop of Rome;

• from the second half of the 2nd until the end of the 5th century he was Vicar of Peter;

• from the 5th to 8th Century he was the Vicar of Christ.

• from the 8th Century until present times, he became the Vicar of the Son of God.¹⁰⁰

This synthesis strongly reflects the evolution seen in the role of the roman Pontiff over the centuries.

An important new developments in the practicing of the Petrine Ministry

A totally new and recent role: Minister for the Unity of Christians

In the 25th year of his pontificate, John Paul II published the encyclical Ut Unum Sint, in which, in relation to the process of unity of Christians, he expressed his fundamental intent as follows: “The Vatican Council II expresses the Church’s decision to take up the ecumenical task of working for Christian unity and to propose it with conviction and vigor”.¹⁰¹ We see here a priority that goes far beyond the Vatican walls. Monsignor Michael F. Hull,¹⁰² commenting on the Encyclical Ut Unum Sint, wrote: “it is part of the Petrine Ministry to serve all Christians so that “they would all be one”.¹⁰³ This universal role has been welcomed in much of the non-Catholic world.¹⁰⁴ A new ministry: Peter that works for all Christians!

In the past, at the time of Luther, Melantone, Calvin, Farel and Wesley the role of the pope represented a fundamental problem to face and a main reason to separate from Rome and to reform the church, today this role represents a crossroad for encounters on the path to unity. This is strong look towards a present and future plan.

If Vatican II laid the foundation and Pope John Paul II initiated the process with his Encyclical “Ut Unum Sint”, Pope Francis is following perfectly the same path by fulfilling this role for a Pope. He follows the path of the Polish pope not only through beatifications and canonizations. We have seen that with Pope Francis the factory of the saints restarts its activity.¹⁰⁵
Not only for the new emphasis in granting indulgences dressed in an attractive and new look as a privileged way to concede forgiveness, we can say in ways and creativity as never before. But, first of all, affirming the ministry for unity as peculiar role of his primacy. As the main function reserved to the bishop of Rome.¹⁰⁶

His ecumenical activity is far beyond the footsteps of his predecessors, he went beyond it by adding actions and decisions that indicate a full, and in some ways a stronger manifestation of the Petrine role in ecumenism. He is realizing the command of Vatican II. On this issue, he did not let the time pass, just a few months after his election, he immediately expressed himself with conviction and clarity. In his first public documents, he writes the following: “Commitment to ecumenism responds to the prayer of the Lord Jesus that “they may all be one” (Jn 17:21). The credibility of the Christian message would be much greater if Christians could overcome their divisions and the Church could realize “the fullness of catholicity proper to her in those of her children who, though joined to her by baptism, are yet separated from full communion with her”. We must never forget that we are pilgrims journeying alongside one another. …, commitment to a unity which helps them to accept Jesus Christ can no longer be a matter of mere diplomacy or forced compliance, but rather an indispensable path in the duty of evangelism.”¹⁰⁷

The facts are fully demonstrating this clear priority of the Pope. It is enough to observe and read some documents in order to easily understand it. Regarding the facts, it is enough to observe and compare the work of the last pontiffs, to observe the ecumenical commitment of the current Pontiff at the forefront and within the limits of the “Christian Walls”, with numerous bilateral meetings¹⁰⁸ and interreligious dialogues with non-Christian confessions (Jews, Muslims). Within this long series of encounters, some have marked an unprecedented ecumenical step. After the various preparatory meetings and the acts like the Joint Declaration on the Justifying Faith signed by Catholics and Lutherans on October 31st, 1999, then there was the meeting between Anglicans and Catholics, which began in early 1990, and still in process. Then there has been the historical meeting between the Lutherans of Sweden and Pope Francis on October 21st – November 1st, 2016, with an important statement.¹⁰⁹ Finally, the latest meeting, October 19th 2017, between the Pope and the International Methodist Council. It has been seen as one of the Catholic-Methodist dialogues “for accomplishing full unity”.¹¹⁰

Consequently, we can conclude that the Petrine Ministry is far from being withdrawn, subsidiary to another, but in great respect, rampant and winning on various fronts and footprints universally recognized leading figure in Christianity and a point of reference also outside Christian boundaries.

At the end of 2013, just after a few month of pontiff office, the International Time magazine declare Pope Francis man of the year.¹¹¹ A survey made by BBC in 2016 declare Pope Francis the more popular than any political, religious and world leader, according to a new opinion poll.¹¹² Something that we read in the book of Revelation: “And all the world marveled and followed (him)” (Revelation 13:3).

These are the latest news in the Catholic world regarding the primacy of the bishop of Rome, not only as the head of the Catholic Church, but also as a point of reference for many Christians, a respected interlocutor with non-Christian and more and more listened leader in the main world political issues. A great authority!

Conclusion

We have examined four themes that represent important aspects of the Catholic identity and teaching. Issues that have marked in the past and still today mark the trend of this religious organization.

Examining them we have already drawn a short conclusion for each chapter, we have found in all this a precise tendency that we could say that is far from approaching this church to the biblical dictum. But, we believe, are in conflict with the fundamental biblical truths on the theme of salvation.

Four Themes

In these four fundamental topics of its belief, the Catholic Church is operating with particular tenacity; indulgences, virgin worship, worship of the saints, Peter's primacy are top themes in the church’s agenda.

We had done a research essentially drawing from official documents of the Roman Church. It is reading those documents that we observe an intensification of acts and stances.

On indulgences: if at the time of Luther the pecuniary aspects were strong, today it’s no longer so, it is however still the practice that in itself strongly counteracts the teachings of the Scriptures in which we have the truth of God's gift of salvation as Grace of His Son that the believer accepts and receives by faith alone. This practice of gaining salvation through acts is not over, we can say that it is repeatedly reiterated.

The devotion to the Virgin: Mary is the most acclaimed and proposed subject of worship. It's a growing practice, in every sense. The latest statement by Pope Francis is among the most sublime and theologically strong ones: "Mary, from the beginning, was prepared by the love of God to be the Ark of the Covenant between God and man. She treasured divine mercy in her heart in perfect harmony with her Son Jesus."¹¹³ The result: people are more devoted to the Virgin Mary than to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

The worship of the saints: it is a primary activity of the Roman Church: to make saints. the numbers speak for themselves and clearly state that this is a very active and growing practice. We affirm that all this is a idolatrous act and a pagan practice. It is also the most sectarian, exclusive and anti ecumenical phenomenon. Except very few "saints" are in common with the orthodox church, for instance Cyril and Methodius, all the others are exclusively Catholic and the great majority of canonized saints from the clergy, from popes!

The Petrine ministry: in the Catholic Church, the pope is over all, we requote a few sentences from the “Code of Canon Law”: By virtue of his office the pope detains the highest, the fullest and the immediate and appropriate power. He is free to exercise it at any time It is his divine right He is above the Council and the College of Bishops. His decisions must not be approved or corrected by anyone. No court can appeal against them. The pope is the highest legislator, the highest judge, the one who has the highest executive power. His "ex-cathedra" are infallible and compulsory for the entire church. He does not need its consent! As bishop in the service of the saints he is the Supreme Pontiff who dispenses the mysteries of God. His power is universal! ¹¹⁴ "This statement applies the decree of Vatican II which reads: “The Pope is by divine institution covered with supreme, immediate and universal full power.”¹¹⁵

Four dogmas without biblical foundation. Four themes in which there is a process of accentuation. Four areas in which the clergy institution, the man, emerges and not Jesus Christ. He is eclipsed. Because of these themes them Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Jesus Alone and Bible Alone are no longer "alone". None reformer supported one of these creed. Because of them they wrote greats stories, stories of return to the Bible, to the grace of Jesus by faith. Stories written from the first Waldensians to J. Wycliffe, to J. Huss, to Gerome of Prague, to M. Luther, to P. Melanchthon, to M. Bucker, to J. Calvin, to W. Farel, to H. Bollinger, to J. Knox, to P.M. Vermigli, to B. Ochino, and beyond.

Today, unfortunately, many descendants of these heroes of faith, are losing the sense of this clear identity with the Bible. Under the ecumenical umbrella no discrimination can be expressed: praying the Father in the name of the Son, or invoking the virgin or some saint is always a Christian act.¹¹⁶ We must not make distinctions, no truth is more true than others. Any kind of baptism is valid.¹¹⁷

How to encircle these four catholic dogmas in the Bible, and more specifically, in the eschatological framework, for example, with the theme of sin, of forgiveness and redemption, fundamental matters in the whole Bible as content of the plan of salvation?

The Gospel offers to us an interesting contribution when we read the accusations of blasphemy made to Jesus. The vocabularies on this matter, we believe, help us but in a partial way.¹¹⁸ In the Gospel we find much more. Jesus was accused of blaspheming for forgiveness of sins¹¹⁹, for having elevated himself to God's elevation¹²⁰, and was finally condemned to death for declaring himself to be the Messiah of God and by applying to himself the messianic prophecy of the Old Testament¹²¹.

If in giving forgiveness Jesus receive this strong accusations, does the clergy declaration “ego absolvo peccata tua” (I forgive your sins), can be estimated differently? Or how must we consider statements like those pope Francis wrote for the last jubilee? “I … grant the authority to pardon even (not only) those sins reserved to the Holy See”. How can we consider such statements?

Four Blasphemies

At the same time, how can we understand the use of the word blasphemy we read in Revelation 13:5,6? "And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven".

This text presents acts of blasphemy against God. In Revelation almost always the word “God” is used to define the Father. So the “blasphemy” here expressed by this power is to elevate itself as a God.

He blasphemes His name. Many times in Revelation we read the word “name” and often it indicates Jesus, even the word "His name" refers to Jesus.¹²² In addition to this, if in this text we already have God the Father, it seems logical that here "His name" refers to Jesus and his ministry, the one who revealed to God, His nature, His character to us. This power, takes the place of Jesus. It acts, as we have seen many times, as he was Jesus.

Then there is blasphemy against His tabernacle. This is easier to understand because both the priestly ministry of Christ and the heavenly sanctuary have been largely subject of substitutive actions. For intercession people refers to others, not to Jesus, our mediator.

Finally he blasphemes those who dwell in heaven. Even here it is easier to see other parallel substitutions to the ministry of the angels establish by God to assist the one who hope in Him.¹²³ All this becomes even more significant if we consider another aspect that we are not considering in these lines: in reality we turn "to the dead as a pro of the living". Something that Isaiah, as we will see, strongly condemns.

An eschatological reading

This reality is readable from two perspectives, one in a historical standpoint from the Old Testament (eg. Isaiah) and the other in a prophetic view in the New Testament (eg. 1 Timothy; Revelation and in 2nd Thessalonians). Combining these two standpoint we can read these realities in a eschatological perspective and in the framework of the final Great Controversy.

• Isaiah does not put his words in an eschatological context but presents some truths very raw and cutting and without any politeness: "When do they say to you, Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter, should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them "(Isaiah 8: 19,20). Clearly Isaiah combines communication with the dead with spiritualistic and paranormal practices, and medium communications: common ministries of theosophy, occultism, channelling , shamanism, spiritualism and even anthroposophy, new Age and more. Paul writes that this is communication with “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1).

• Revelation is even clearer and straightforward, the warning is peremptory, the time of the end would be characterized by the action of other agents not sent by God. A controversy between good and evil, between agents of God and agents of Satan. John describes the latest events of human history as characterized by a direct work of demons. Two passages underline this “activity”: “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and[f] of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” … “Babylon … has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird” (Revelation 16:13,14; 18:2).

Paul, in parallel, referring to the same end times, describes an action of Satan in support of the adversary, of the man of sin: " The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9).

• Directly or indirectly these actions are under the control, or under the influence, or supported by Satan. This is how Ellen White refers to these eschatological times: " Many will be confronted by the spirits of devils personating beloved relatives or friends and declaring the most dangerous heresies. These visitants will appeal to our tenderness sympathies and will work miracles to sustain their pretensions. …. Thousands reject the word of God as unworthy of belief and with eager confidence receive the deceptions of Satan … he has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. The foundation of his work was laid by the assurance given to Eve in Eden: “Ye shall not surely die”. ¹²⁴

Indeed one is the effect of deception that comes from practices that manifestly appear as paranormal arts. It is another trap that is proposed in the name of Christ himself. Of whom presents himself in God's name or as God Himself.

• Behind all this there is a very important biblical theme that somehow unites these four chapters that have been taken into consideration and which crosses them like a thin red thread. The theme of worship. If in the analysis of indulgences and of the Petrine Primacy the theme of worship is not evident and primary, the themes of the Virgin and of the saints are strongly permeated. Many acts connected to them place these two in full in the soil of Worship: liturgical celebrations, prayers, processions, statues and icons, dedications, ex votos, temples make it the absolute subject of worship and, we have seen, how the boundaries of these practices are widening in our times.

We see the crescendo of these phenomena and in the book of Revelation this warning it is also in crescendo until the final invitation, expressed "loudly", in the first and third messages of chapter 14. (verses 6-7, 9-11). It is the ultimately eschatological message.

Final Words

In these lines we have taken into account points of faith and liturgical celebrations, dogmas and official affirmations, documents and placements c. We have not considered the people, nor their moral conduct. We have not expressed judgements on individuals. Number of believers sincerely follow these realities. In the Catholic Church there are many people who are simple and erudite, common and in authority who offer examples of rare grandeur, goodness, altruism and dedication. Our respect for such people is a must.

We have considered some fundamental teachings of the longest, largest, powerful and richest organization in the World, we have analysed dogmas and placements drawn directly from official documents. We expressed our views on statements and public acts and not about believing in a theory of conspiracy. Every criticism does not intend to judge people, but consider positions and doctrines. We have considered everything light of the Scriptures and in an eschatological perspective.

All this is an incentive and a commitment to the love for truth.