Pope's upside-down cross on his chair

[NotWorthy]

As Catholics, we believe in a concept called “The Communion of Saints,” which makes up the Body of Christ and His Church.

** What kind of body** would we be part of if we ignored most of the members? Why have a Communion of saints if we are to ignore each other? Yes, we worship Christ alone, but we do that WITH Peter and the other saints, both in Heaven and on earth.

Yes, I think St. Paul addressed this quite adequately.
“The eye can’t say to the hand, I don’t need you….” (paraphrasing). Good point Jabronie!!!

 

[Ghosty]

I understand, yes Peter was crucified upside down because he was not worthy… (NotWorthy )

But

Peter, Peter, Peter, Peter…

Why not JESUS!

Instead of supposedly honouring Jesus by honouring Peter’s humblesness and martrydom (sp?)…

Just go straight to JESUS AND worship, remember, honor, him.

Remember, we’re not worshipping the chair, nor do we view the chair as a symbol of Christ in any way. The chair, or cathedra in Latin, is the symbol of the office of Bishop since ancient times (hence a Bishop’s church is called a Cathedral). Since Rome is the “See of Peter”, the chair has his marker on it. It’s not at all about honoring Peter, it’s about remembering who’s See it was originally. Also, since the Bishop of Rome inherits Peter’s job in a unique way in the Church, it is fitting that his chair would bear the symbol of the man after whom that job is named (the role and work of the Papacy is called the Petrine Ministry within the Church).

So having his Bishop’s chair (cathedra) marked with the symbol of Peter symbolizes that he is continuing the work that Peter left off in Rome. It’s similar to how the Pope’s ring bears an image of Peter fishing, and is called “the Ring of the Fisherman”, not as a devotion to Peter, but a sign that the Pope is the successor of the Fisherman.

Peace and God bless!

 

[Zooey]

Hi NotWorthy and thank you for your response. Unfortunately, that “bent cross” has issues as well from a non-catholic perspective. I believe you posted on one of the threads…indicating that it was bent as it was as Christ had the world’s sins on him (not sure if that was you). Just that that bent cross thing is kind of creepy in itself (IMHO).

MAS, what can I say??? You must have been an extremely insecure child, if, as an adult, the simple sight of the pope carrying a staff with a crucifix on it, can still creep you out.

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Nightmares??? Trouble sleeping???
Take Sominex tonight, and sleep!!!
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Assuming that this has any significance at all might we not assume that since Peter was (tradition) crucified upside down as he was not worthy to be crucified in the same way as his Lord that the Pope (successor to Peter) had a chair with the same type of cross. IE an act of humilty.

Rev North

Ah! A man of good sense!!

 

[NotWorthy]

I understand, yes Peter was crucified upside down because he was not worthy… (NotWorthy )

By the way, I do so love puns!!! Thanks, Malachi!

 

[Church_Militant]

Hi NotWorthy and thank you for your response. Unfortunately, that “bent cross” has issues as well from a non-catholic perspective. I believe you posted on one of the threads…indicating that it was bent as it was as Christ had the world’s sins on him (not sure if that was you). Just that that bent cross thing is kind of creepy in itself (IMHO).

It shouldn’t…SIN is creepy…have you read the passages of the Gospels on His agony in the garden?

Matthew 26:36-45
Mark 14:32-41
and
Luke 22:39-46

Then look at these words from the cross…" And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34)

Now tell me that that bent cross…“that old rugged cross”…doesn’t make perfect sense in this very scriptural context. One wonders how any natural element such as mere wood could sustain the terrible weight of all our sins.

 

[Semper_Fi_1]

Believe me I am not.

This intrigued me. I did a search. Read the threads and came up that the reason for the upside down cross was because Peter was crucified upside down.

But we are Christians.

Not Peterians.

So why usurp the sacrafice that gave us redemption?

The Pope is the successor of St. Peter. St. Peter was crucified on an upside down cross in Rome as you already know from your own research. St. Peter, as the rock on which the Church was founded is paid due homage because he holds the keys to the kingdom which are transferred to his successors. The keys were given to him by Christ. We honor Peter because he followed Christ and was the first to confess Him as the risen Lord. We only honor Peter – we worship Jesus.

The Pope’s “Chair” is symbolic of his Petrine authority, and since it is derived from St. Peter and since it was Peter who established the Roman Church with Paul, Peter is given homage as the founder of the Church of Rome.

 

[Semper_Fi_1]

Remember, we’re not worshipping the chair, nor do we view the chair as a symbol of Christ in any way. The chair, or cathedra in Latin, is the symbol of the office of Bishop since ancient times (hence a Bishop’s church is called a Cathedral). Since Rome is the “See of Peter”, the chair has his marker on it. It’s not at all about honoring Peter, it’s about remembering who’s See it was originally. Also, since the Bishop of Rome inherits Peter’s job in a unique way in the Church, it is fitting that his chair would bear the symbol of the man after whom that job is named (the role and work of the Papacy is called the Petrine Ministry within the Church).

So having his Bishop’s chair (cathedra) marked with the symbol of Peter symbolizes that he is continuing the work that Peter left off in Rome. It’s similar to how the Pope’s ring bears an image of Peter fishing, and is called “the Ring of the Fisherman”, not as a devotion to Peter, but a sign that the Pope is the successor of the Fisherman.

Peace and God bless!

But it is about honoring St. Peter and his martyrdom for the holy catholic and apostolic faith…

 

[Teflon93]

Now I did a search for previous threads and read them in this regard.

My question is… why honor “Peter”?

Isn’t Jesus the whole reason? Why deviate? I understand “Peter” was (argueably) the first “Pope”. But isn’t Christ’s upright cross more significant, more important than Peter’s upsidedown cross?

ewtn.com/holyland2000/gallery/gallery6.asp#

If Christ is (as he should be) the focus, why did Protestants pull him off the cross? Do they worship and honor a piece of wood?

 

[Ghosty]

But it is about honoring St. Peter and his martyrdom for the holy catholic and apostolic faith…

The chair isn’t. We honor Peter in plenty of ways, but the chair of the Pope isn’t specifically a way to venerate the First Pope.

The upside down cross is a symbol of his martyrdom for the Faith, true, but the OP was asking why we focus on honoring Peter rather than Christ. Since the chair isn’t about honoring Peter per se, it just bears his symbol because the chair itself is a symbol of the Petrine Ministry, I figure the best answer is just to explain what the chair represents.

If we want to talk about honoring St. Peter specifically, we can talk about St. Peter’s Basillica. That church, incidently, is not the See of Peter.

Peace and God bless!

 

[NotWorthy]

Didn’t Paul himself ask us to emulate him? Why should we do this if it is wrong?

 

[Ani_Ibi]

Now tell me that that bent cross…“that old rugged cross”…doesn’t make perfect sense in this very scriptural context. One wonders how any natural element such as mere wood could sustain the terrible weight of all our sins.

[SIGN]I am having an aha moment![/SIGN]