English: Painting of Pope Celestine V.
Español: Pintura del Papa Celestino V.
Artist: Giulio Cessare Bedeschini.
Date: 1700.
Source: Museo de l'aquila, Italia.
Author: Giulio Cessare Bedeschini.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Text from “The Liturgical Year”.
By: Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B.
Volume: 8.
Paschal Time.
Book II.
Our Paschal Season, which has already given us the admirable Doctor of The Church, Saint Leo, brings before us, today, the humble Saint Peter Celestine.
He was, like Leo, Sovereign Pontiff, but no sooner was he Throned on the Chair of Peter than he left it and returned to solitude.
Among the long list of Sainted men who compose the Venerable series of Roman Pontiffs, Our Lord would have one in whose person was to be represented the virtue of “humility”; that honour was conferred on Peter Celestine.
He was dragged from the quiet of his solitude, compelled to ascend the Throne of Saint Peter, and made to hold in his trembling hand the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Holy Hermit, whose eyes had been ever fixed on his own weakness, had then to provide for the necessities of the whole Church. In his humility, he judged himself to be unequal to so heavy a responsibility. He resigned the Tiara, and begged to be permitted to return to his dear Hermitage.
His Divine Master, Christ, had, in like manner, concealed His glory, first in thirty years of hidden life, and then, later on, under the cloud of His Passion and Sepulchre.
The sunshine of the Pasch came; the gloom was dispersed, and the Conqueror of Death arose in all His splendour.
He would have his servants share in His triumph and glory; but their share is to be greater or less, according to the measure in which they have, here on Earth, imitated His humility.
Who, then, could describe the glory which Peter Celestine receives in Heaven, as a recompense for the profound humility which made him more eager to be unknown than the most ambitious of men could be for honour and fame ?
He was great on the Pontifical Throne, and still greater in his solitude; but his greatness, now that he is in Heaven, surpasses all human thought.
