(around Yuraku-chou Sta. --- near Tokyo Sta. and the Imperial Palace)The Vatican
(Le Vatican)
When the former Pope died, total 1,400 then incumbent presidents, prime ministers, kings, and other top dignitaries from all over the world, such as President Mr. George W. Bush and then Iran President Mr. Mohammad Khatami, gathered in the Vatican.
From Japan, then former Foreign Minister Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi was dispatched, though some parties concerned with the Vatican had expected then Prime Minister Mr. Junichiro Koizumi to attend the Pope's funeral.
But, many Japanese, including me, were watching the proceeding of the funeral honors being broadcast live from Rome.
I saw a holy book put on the coffin somehow being fanned by the wind, maybe the holy wind an Angel who came to observe the proceeding just caused for pious viewers all over the world while I was also so intently observing it.
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This October, a new book on the Vatican was published.
http://www.iwanami.co.jp/hensyu/sin/sin_kkn/kkn0710/sin_k380.html
The author, Ms. Fusako Go, introduced a result of an opinion poll an Italian newspaper conducted this May on agencies or systems most trusted by Italian people.
Agency/System Trusted..................Support Rating
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1. Police/Special Force (Carabinieri)............. 84%
2. President...................................................72%
3. Catholic Church........................................65%
4. EU..............................................................57%
5. Judiciary....................................................53%
6. Labor Union...............................................43%
7. National TV (RAI)......................................38%
8. Commercial TV (Mediaset).........................37%
9. Prime Minister...........................................33%
10. Federation of Businesses........................31%
11. Parliament................................................30%
12. Banks........................................................22%
[Please set the small character size in Viewing the above table.]
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Also, Italians who pray once or more per week to God account for 80% of all the citizens.
Especially, those who regularly go to mass account for 70% of Italians in an age group between 18 and 24 years, and 61% of Italians between 25 and 34 years.
But elderly people less go to mass: 53% of Italians between 55 and 64 years, and 51% of Italians of 65 years or older.
* * *
She wrote that even in Rome there is a strong concern to terror, which might be a reason for the higher rating of Italian police/special force (Carabinieri).
We may also judge that it is still the Catholic Church that unites Europeans rather than EU.
The low ratings of the two major media companies, RAI and Mediaset, are also alarming.
Overall, I can sense the remained influence of the Roman Empire in the higher ratings to President and police/special force (Carabinieri) in addition to strong reverence to Jesus Christ though He was not the direct founder of the Catholic Church.
* * *
Jesus Christ never used any worldly title. He never put on any clothes better than those other poor followers wore. He did not forbid marriage to His followers. He did not receive any imperial funeral ceremony. But, Jesus Christ apparently requested the most pious interpretation of His words and the Bible.
Italians, especially young Italians, should reform their churches.
The Vatican should stop using a lay figure of Jesus Christ, horribly half-naked, on a cross in their rituals.
* * *
When nobody wants to be a Pope due to the fear in God, I suppose the world will be getting better.
The Mafia will vanish away.
The wine will taste better.
(Jesus Christ is said to be a Son of God. It is not a worldly matter. It is what I want to emphasize.
So, I may be advancing to a non-worldly sphere where nothing in this world, including the Vatican, matters, since it must be closer to Kingdom of God.
Don't you feel intimacy with it?)
"JESUS FEEDS FIVE THOUSAND MEN"
(Jesus gibt funftausend Menschen zu essen)