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Is the Pope Incorruptible?
The question that seems to be on everyone's mind is what's going on with the Pope. Why isn't his body showing signs of decomposition? He's been dead for almost a week now, and most bodies at this stage would be putrefying. But not the Pope. Has he been embalmed? The Vatican says no. But the experts seem to think that some kind of embalming, if only partial, must have occurred. Could it be that his body is being kept chilled? If so, the cooling apparatus is pretty well concealed. Or is his body 'incorruptible', meaning that it will never decompose as is said to be the case with the bodies of saints? I'm going to go with the experts and speculate that some kind of embalming must have been done, despite what the Vatican says.Update: And while I'm on the subject of the Pope, if you feel like you have what it takes to be the next Pope, why not apply for the job. Only Roman Catholics need apply, so I'm out of luck.
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
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Of course he hasn't been embalmed, the Vatican says so
In the same way the Aga Khan never actually drank alcohol - it turned to water as it passed his lips.
(I always wondered why he didn't just drink water)
In the same vein, chickens grow on trees, Toffee apples are the standard currency in Java
And the President is the most intelligent man that ever lived.
Posted by Sharruma on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 09:37 PM
In the same way the Aga Khan never actually drank alcohol - it turned to water as it passed his lips.
(I always wondered why he didn't just drink water)
In the same vein, chickens grow on trees, Toffee apples are the standard currency in Java
And the President is the most intelligent man that ever lived.
That "feeding tube" they had running through his nose? Formaldehyde!
Posted by andychrist on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 09:45 PM
Yes, we believe everything we're told, even if it contradicts itself...
That first article states that's it's been pretty cool at the Vatican. However, could they have concealed a refrigeration unit inside the catafalque?
Sharruma, you're right on the mark with that last line!
Posted by Smerk in to mischief on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 09:48 PM
That first article states that's it's been pretty cool at the Vatican. However, could they have concealed a refrigeration unit inside the catafalque?
Sharruma, you're right on the mark with that last line!
Chickens grow not on trees, Sharruma.
Spaghetti, on the other hand...
Posted by Rod in the land of smarties. on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 09:54 PM
Spaghetti, on the other hand...
Actually, Alex, is says you only have to be catholic or deeply religious (so does that mean we could have a muslim pope?)
Posted by Smerk in to mischief on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 10:06 PM
Er, you guys do know that you have to be a cardinal to become pope, right?
Posted by Katherine on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 10:28 PM
Arghhh! I'm so stressed out lately...need to think before I post!
To be fair, you don't actually HAVE to be a cardinal. But it's pretty much become tradition that a pope will be elected from the cardinals, and it would be a huge shock if the electing body of cardinals had a majority voting in someone who wasn't cardinal. But it COULD happen.
Posted by Katherine on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 10:35 PM
To be fair, you don't actually HAVE to be a cardinal. But it's pretty much become tradition that a pope will be elected from the cardinals, and it would be a huge shock if the electing body of cardinals had a majority voting in someone who wasn't cardinal. But it COULD happen.
No decompopesition? See what red wine will do for you
Posted by Hairy Houdini on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 10:40 PM
If I become Pope, I want to be known as Pope Eel, Pocket Fisherman
Posted by Hairy Houdini on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 11:00 PM
I saw or read a news story that said, rather matter-of-factly, that he was refrigerated. Yes, that part's true.
OK, now here comes the joke! So, the Pope's refrigerated, huh? You know what that makes him? A Pope-sicle!
Posted by Cranky Media Guy on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 11:12 PM
OK, now here comes the joke! So, the Pope's refrigerated, huh? You know what that makes him? A Pope-sicle!
perhaps he's been baked dry... a Pontificake
Posted by Hairy Houdini on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 11:27 PM
I just wonder...50 years from now on, would there be any urban legend about this case? Like, refrigerated Pope, deep fried Pope or they had been giving him formaldehyde when he was grave:P
Posted by Jellyfish Marine on Thu Apr 07, 2005 at 11:59 PM
You have to be a cardinal?
Damn, I'm a bluejay.
And I guess Woody Woodpecker is out of the running, as well as Tweety-Bird.
Popesicle PDF
They also advertise Popecorn and Popepouri.
"It smells like jesus in the bathroom, and the pope in the kitchen, thanks to my new popepouri and candles!"
Too bad it's fake. I'd like to try the Popecorn. Better than that Poopcorn I tried...
Posted by Rod in the land of smarties. on Fri Apr 08, 2005 at 12:02 AM
Damn, I'm a bluejay.
And I guess Woody Woodpecker is out of the running, as well as Tweety-Bird.
Popesicle PDF
They also advertise Popecorn and Popepouri.
"It smells like jesus in the bathroom, and the pope in the kitchen, thanks to my new popepouri and candles!"
Too bad it's fake. I'd like to try the Popecorn. Better than that Poopcorn I tried...
What i've heard on the news is that after the popes's death one the preparations is to remove his organs and place them in special vials or so. Thus, if his organs have been replaced, either way he has been embalmed.... so I think
Posted by BSantos in Portugal on Fri Apr 08, 2005 at 03:09 AM
re: his organs... the last Pope that did it was in like, 1914, then that Pope stopped the custom of removing organs.
re: who can become pope. Laypersons can become pope, but they do have to become a priest in the days beforehand. I can't remember the last time it happened, in the mid 1500's I think.
Posted by Winona in USA on Fri Apr 08, 2005 at 05:44 AM
re: who can become pope. Laypersons can become pope, but they do have to become a priest in the days beforehand. I can't remember the last time it happened, in the mid 1500's I think.
Since so many people claim that God speaks to them, why don't they just let God decide? When the lucky person gets the word, they can tell the rest of us.
Posted by Captain Al in Alberta, Canada on Fri Apr 08, 2005 at 06:58 AM
Any Catholic can be elected Pope (or Bishop, for that matter). In previous centuries, not all of them were priests before being named popes (I presume they were ordained as part of the Pope-making process).
You will notice, of course, that this means the Pope doesn't have to be male.
Could a non-Catholic be elected Pope? It's pretty hard to imagine this happening (remember that it's the Cardinals who elect the new Pope), but I don't know of any church canon against it.
Posted by Big Gary C in Dallas, Texas on Fri Apr 08, 2005 at 08:37 AM
You will notice, of course, that this means the Pope doesn't have to be male.
Could a non-Catholic be elected Pope? It's pretty hard to imagine this happening (remember that it's the Cardinals who elect the new Pope), but I don't know of any church canon against it.
Cap'n Al:
The problem, so far as I can tell, is that God doesn't seem to say the same thing to all the people who hear God speaking to them.
There's also a bit of a "caller ID" problem whenever you get a message purportedly from God.
Posted by Big Gary C in Dallas, Texas on Fri Apr 08, 2005 at 08:42 AM
The problem, so far as I can tell, is that God doesn't seem to say the same thing to all the people who hear God speaking to them.
There's also a bit of a "caller ID" problem whenever you get a message purportedly from God.
You can elect a Bishop?
I'd like to elect mine, he's been suffering from repeated terrible beatings for YEARS, it's time he had something good happen to him.
Posted by Rod in the land of smarties. on Fri Apr 08, 2005 at 09:13 AM
I'd like to elect mine, he's been suffering from repeated terrible beatings for YEARS, it's time he had something good happen to him.
God wants me to be pope
He told me it doesn't matter that I"m not catholic
He also told me it's ok that I don't believe in him
He also told me that his real name is Colin
For some reason declaring this from the great Colin would be proof enough.
Posted by Sharruma on Fri Apr 08, 2005 at 09:30 AM
He told me it doesn't matter that I"m not catholic
He also told me it's ok that I don't believe in him
He also told me that his real name is Colin
For some reason declaring this from the great Colin would be proof enough.
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