| Tuesday, April 05, 2005 |
| Popes in Wax |
OK - so this is a bit macabre. I noticed on the news reports today that John Paul didn't look quite as - how shall I say this respectfully - "fresh"? - as he did when he was first laid out on Sunday. I was actually questioning the skill of the morticians.
On tonight's news coverage, they admitted that his body has NOT been embalmed. It will lie in state (literally, in situ) until the funeral on Friday.
The reason?
The faithful claim that if the body does not show signs of decay, that this would be the miracle required for his eventual sainthood.
I'm not making this up.
The task of embalming a pope is not one to be undertaken lightly: the penalties for getting it wrong are severe, in terms of public obloquy if nothing else. When Paul VI died in 1978, the morticians were instructed only to embalm the corpse lightly, as it was expected that it would be closed in a coffin for the lying in state. Instead the body was put on open display, despite the intense heat of August. After 48 hours, it is reported, decomposition become painfully obvious: a sagging jaw, discoloured face, fingernails turning grey. The morticians were summoned to provide emergency aid, but the rot went on. This time too, Vatican officials responsible must be banking on the unseasonably mild weather continuing. Ick, ick, ick, and - oh, ick. |
posted by Broadsheet @ 11:54 PM   |
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