Pope Francis and the Cross of the Good Shepherd
Pope Francis, the pontificate of humility and mercy
On March 13, 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis replaced Pope Benedict XVI who had resigned the Pontificate. After his election by the Conclave, the new Pope expressed his desire to bear the name of Francis during his pontificate. Pope Francis decided on this name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.
From the moment of his appointment, Pope Francis showed his intention to make humility and mercy two of the distinctive features of his pontificate. Pope Francis made several modifications to the traditions that previous popes had followed. Some of these minor alterations were related to papal dress. For example, he stopped wearing the red shoes that were specially designed for previous popes. Instead, Pope Francis wears ordinary black shoes.
It was also decided not to use the pontifical gold pectoral cross with embedded precious stones that can only be worn by the Pope. Instead he preferred to wear a silver Pectoral Cross . This Cross has become world famous as the Cross of the Good Shepherd, or simply, the Cross of Pope Francis.
Pontifical pectoral cross, a Cross reserved for the Pope
The Pectoral Cross or simply Pectoral is a Cross that the Pope usually carry. Despite being a symbol linked to papal clothing, it can also be worn by bishops.
The pontifical pectoral cross is one that can only be used by the Pope. These types of Crosses are reserved and are used only as papal clothing. The Holy Catholic Church, and the successors of Saint Peter, have been accumulating a large number of Pontifical Pectorals. Most of them are made of noble materials such as gold and decorated with precious stones. Many of these crosses have several centuries of history, so their value is incalculable.
There is another type of Pectoral Crosses, known as Simple Pectorals or Simple Pectoral Crosses , which are worn by bishops and lower prelates who have earned the privilege.
The Cross of Pope Francis, the Cross of the Good Shepherd
When Jorge Mario Bergoglio was named Pope, he decided to continue using the Cross that had accompanied him since his ordination as Bishop, the Cross of the Good Shepherd. This decision implied the renunciation of the use of the pontifical pectoral Crosses that his predecessors had carried.
The pectoral Cross of Pope Francis, the Cross of the Good Shepherd , is a piece of religious jewelry made entirely of silver. The Cross is decorated with elements in high relief with a great religious charge. The symbols that can be seen on the Cross of Pope Francis are the dove (the Holy Spirit), Jesus carrying a sheep on his shoulders (the Good Shepherd) and behind the flock of sheep that follow the voice of the Good Shepherd.
Symbols of the Cross of the Good Shepherd, the Cross of Pope Francis
Dove, symbol in the Cross of the Good Shepherd
The Dove as a symbol of the Holy Spirit is one of the most recognized Christian images. This symbology has its origin in the Bible, during the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River.
Jesus came out of the water; And then the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending in the form of a dove and coming upon him.
Saint Matthew - 3, 16.
The Holy Spirit in the form of a dove is represented at the top of the Cross of the Good Shepherd. The Holy Spirit is depicted descending on the figure of the Good Shepherd.
The Good Shepherd with the Sheep on his shoulders, symbol of the Cross of Pope Francis
The image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd with the sheep on his shoulders is located in the central area of the Cross of Pope Francis. The figure of Jesus is the center, the axis on which the other elements of the Cross are articulated.
Some authors relate the sheep that the Good Shepherd holds on his shoulders with the lost sheep that can be read about in the parable that collects the Gospel of Saint Luke 15, 4-6.
What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
And when he finds it, he places it joyfully on his shoulders; and when he gets home, he gathers his friends and neighbors, saying: Enjoy with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.
We can read similar terms in the Gospel of Saint Matthew 18,12-14:
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains to go in search of the one that has gone astray? And if he finds her, I tell you truly, he has more joy for her than for the ninety-nine who have not gone astray.
In the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones should be lost.
Parable linked to mercy, to the search that, inspired by Jesus, we must make for Christians who have lost their way, who have distanced themselves from the Good Shepherd, who have stopped listening to the voice of Christ and do not know how to return to his flock, the Holy Mother Church.
Mercy is very present in the pontificate of Pope Francis from the very beginning. Some examples in which we appreciate the importance of mercy for Pope Francis are, for example, that he chose the motto "Miserando atque electing" for his papal coat of arms (which could be translated as "He looked at him with mercy and chose him"), or the celebration of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, Extraordinary Jubilee Year in 2015 . The symbol of the Jubilee Year of Mercy was an image of the Good Shepherd carrying a man on his shoulders instead of a sheep.
The flock that follows the Good Shepherd, symbol of the Cross of Pope Francis
In the horizontal arms of the Cross of Pope Francis, just behind the Good Shepherd, we see a flock of sheep following Jesus.
The sheep and the shepherd are a symbol that has been used repeatedly to represent Jesus and the Catholic Church. Jesus is the good shepherd, the loving shepherd who is willing to give his life for his sheep, for his followers. Jesus gave himself up, was crucified and died for our sins, for the sins of his flock. The Good Shepherd sacrifices his life for the welfare of his sheep.
In the Bible there are numerous moments in which Jesus is related to the Good Shepherd and all Christians are related to the flock. One of the best known is the Gospel according to Saint John 10, 11-18:
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life to the sheep. But the hireling, who is not a shepherd, to whom the sheep do not belong, sees the wolf coming, abandons the sheep and flees, and the wolf preys on them and scatters them, because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd; and I know my sheep and mine know me, as the Father knows me and I know my Father and I give my life for the sheep. I also have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I also have to lead them and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock, one shepherd. That is why the Father loves me, because I give my life, to recover it again. Nobody takes it from me; I give it voluntarily. I have power to lay it down and power to take it back again; that is the order that I have received from my Father.
The Good Shepherd, origin of the Cross of Pope Francis
The identification of Jesus as the Good Shepherd has its origin in the years after the death of Our Savior. There is evidence that in the early years of our era the image of the Good Shepherd was very popular among the early Christians.
According to some studies, almost a thousand Paleo-Christian representations whose theme is linked to the image of the Good Shepherd are still preserved today. Religious works dating fundamentally from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. of C
These representations of the Good Shepherd are found in all kinds of early Christian locations: cemeteries, baptisteries or baptismal fonts, basilicas, etc...
Much has been speculated about the reason for the importance of the image of the Good Shepherd in these early years of Christianity. The reasons are not clear but it is believed that various reasons would have helped convert the image of the Good Shepherd into one of the identifying symbols of the first Christians:
- The image of a shepherd carrying a sheep or lamb on his shoulders had already been used previously by other peoples. In times of great persecution, paleo-Christians looked for pagan images, inspired by classical culture, to which they gave meanings identified only by Christians.
- In the first centuries, most of the population was illiterate and dedicated to activities related to the countryside. Christians tried to evangelize with symbols and images that were easily interpretable by the people who saw them. The figure of the Good Shepherd carrying the lost sheep shows divine love. The image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd was a simple way for the population to understand Jesus' love for his flock.
The use of the image of the Good Shepherd decreased over the centuries. Representations of Jesus as the Good Shepherd are hardly found throughout the Middle Ages. During the following centuries its use was infrequent.
The beginning of the Pontificate of Pope Francis , from the first moment in which he came out on the balcony of the Vatican already dressed as Pope and with the Cross of the Good Shepherd around his neck , has meant a reencounter with the figure of Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
Other religious articles of Pope Francis
Since the beginning of the Papacy of Francis, as has happened with previous popes, the image of the Pope has become very popular among Catholics around the world.
Many people want to feel the presence of Pope Francis in their lives and in their prayers. Many Christians want to buy items and souvenirs with the image of Pope Francis. In order to fulfill the wishes of all these people, we have put up for sale a wide variety of religious objects with the image of Pope Francis . For example the Advent calendar of Pope Francis, etc...
Within the religious articles decorated with the image of Pope Francis we highlight:
Pictures of Pope Francis
The paintings of Pope Francis are highly demanded religious products. A large number of customers have contacted our online store to request pictures of Pope Francis in different sizes.
After trying different combinations of sizes and finishes, the one that has had the most acceptance is the painting of Pope Francis that we currently have available in our online store.
A simple picture to hang or rest on its leg.
In the work Francis is represented saluting dressed entirely in white, the liturgical color usually used by the Popes.
Pope Francis tapestries
The Pope Francis tapestries, as well as many other religious tapestries for sale in our online store, are usually bought by people who want to make a painting.
Our clients usually buy the tapestry of Pope Francis and put it in a custom frame. In this way, the tapestry becomes a picture of a reasonable size that can decorate a room in a house or a parish.
Rosaries of Pope Francis | Rosaries of Pope Francis
Rosaries and rosary cases with the image of Pope Francis are a very popular product among our store's customers.
The Holy Rosary is a very relevant tool for all Christians. It helps us in prayer and understanding of the Gospels. It is very useful for us to concentrate on our prayers. The recitation of the rosary on a regular basis contributes to our inner peace and harmony in our environment.
Pope Francis has insisted on numerous occasions the importance of praying the rosary as a vehicle for a rapprochement with Jesus and the Virgin Mary.
On the occasion of the Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy , Pope Francis devised a Rosary inspired by the Merciful Jesus image, also known as the Divine Mercy of Jesus. This rosary, known worldwide as Misericordina, has been another way through which Pope Francis has wanted to promote the prayer of the rosary.
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