Papal Coat of Arms

Papal Coat of Arms:
The new Pontiff's papal coat of arms and motto are the same that he used as bishop. The shield has a bright blue background, at the centre top of which is a yellow radiant sun with the IHS christogram on it representing Jesus (it is also the Jesuit logo). The IHS monogram, as well as a cross that pierces the H, are in red with three black nails directly under them. Under that, to the left, is a star representing Mary, Mother of Christ and the Church. To the right of the star is a nard flower representing Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church. With these symbols the Pope demonstrates his love for the Holy Family.

What distinguishes his coat of arms as pontiff is that, instead of the wide-brimmed, red cardinal's hat atop the shield, it is now bears the symbols of papal dignity: the papal mitre and crossed silver and gold keys joined by a red cord.
His motto - “Miserando Atque Eligendo”  (lowly and yet chosen) - is taken from the Venerable Bede's homily on the Gospel account of the call of Matthew. It holds special meaning for the Pope because - when he was only 17 years old, after going to confession on the Feast of St. Matthew in 1953 - he perceived God's mercy in his life and felt the call to the priesthood, following the example of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
The Mass celebrating the Inauguration of Pope Francis' Petrine Ministry (as successor to St. Peter) will begin Tuesday morning with the a number of different parts (all times are local Roman Time - for Toronto time - subtract 5 hours):

• Between 8:45 and 8:50am the Pope will depart the Domus Sanctae Marthae (He is still staying there - not the Papal Apartments!) and start to move through the crowd in the various sections of the piazza—either in the Jeep or the Popemobile—and greet those gathered.
• Mass is planned to begin at 9:30am.
• The Pope, once having entered the Basilica, will head to the Confession (St. Peter’s tomb under the high altar) while trumpets will announce the “Tu es Petrus”. The Pope will venerate the tomb of St. Peter, together with the Patriarchs and Major Archbishops of the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches (ten in number, four of whom are cardinals). He will then be presented with the Pallium, Ring, and Book of the Gospels that were placed at St. Peter’s tomb the night before.
• The Holy Father will then come back up from the Confession to the main floor of the Basilica, from which the procession continues. The “Laudes Regiae” (Christ is King) will be chanted, with some invocations taken from the Vatican II document on the Church, “Lumen Gentium”. In the Litany of Saints are particularly to be noted, after the Apostles, the Holy Roman Pontiffs who have been canonized up to the most recent: St. Pius X. The procession will then make its entrance into the square.
• Concelebrating the Mass with Francis will be all of the Cardinals present in Rome, and two Superior Generals (that of the Order of Friars Minor, Jose Rodriguez Carballo and that of the Jesuits, Adolfo Nicolas Pachon). In total about 180 are expected to concelebrate.

Before the Mass begins there are the rites specific to the beginning of the Bishop of Rome's Petrine Ministry. These include:

• The Imposition of the Pallium: Made of lamb’s wool and sheep’s wool, the Pallium is placed on the Pope's shoulders recalling the Good Shepherd who carries the lost sheep on his shoulders. The Pope’s Pallium has five red crosses while the Metropolitans’ Palliums have five black crosses. The one used by Francis is the same one that Benedict XVI used. It is placed on the Pope’s shoulders by Cardinal proto-deacon Tauran and, after the imposition, there is a prayer recited by Cardinal proto-presbyter Daneels.
• The Fisherman’s Ring: Peter is the fisherman Apostle, called to be a “fisher of people”. The ring is presented to the Pope by Cardinal Deacon Sodano (first of the Order of Bishops). It bears the image of St. Peter with the keys. It was designed by Enrico Manfrini The ring was in the possession of Archbishop Macchi, Pope Paul VI's personal secretary, and then Msgr. Malnati, who proposed it to Pope Francis through Cardinal Re. It is made of silver and gold.
• The “Obedience”: Six cardinals, two from each order, among the first of those present approach the Pope to make an act of obedience. (All of the Cardinal electors already made an act of obedience in the Sistine Chapel at the end of the Conclave.) At the moment of “taking possession” of the Cathedral of Rome—St. John Lateran—it is expected that the act of obedience will be made by representatives of the various members of the People of God.

The Mass will be that of the Solemnity of St. Joseph, which has its own readings (therefore they are not directly related to the rite of the Inauguration of the Pontificate). The Gospel will be proclaimed in Greek, as at the highest solemnities, to show that the universal Church is made up of the great traditions of the East and the West. The Pope will give his homily in Italian, the language of the people of Rome. The Master of Celebrations expects that the ceremony will not last much more than two hours.
Salt and light will cover everything live - starting at 3:50 am Toronto time, and replay at 10 am.  www.saltandlighttv.org

It will be a magnificent day - it is also expected to be a nice weather day as well, sunny and a temperature in the mid 50's F. (A bit of a contrast to the rain that fell in St. Peter's square the night of the election of Pope Francis.)

Peace