Jan 2019 Consistory

[Elben]

The preparations were completed and all was ready. The consistory would be held in Tibur for the first time in many years. The pope had made the trip from Herzogenrode Abbey and had settled into apartments at the papal palace that were opulent, far different from his simple monk's cell back at the abbey.

The college of cardinals was expected to arrive during the coming week along with the new members. There would of course be the entourages, staffs, and other hangers-on associated with the princes of the Church. On the agenda, once the new cardinals had undergone all the usual ceremonies: union with Propontis and the Orthodox.

The proposed agreement:

1. The pope would be recognized as Primus Inter Pares and the Final Word on Synods and Doctrine would belong to the Pope/Patriarch of Tibur over all the other Patriarchs.
2. There would be complete internal autonomy of the Patriarchates amongst themselves.
3. In exchange for recognizing the Pope's superiority, the Patriarchates would send Cardinals to the Conclave.
4. The question of Filioque was to be given to a commission for study.

The cardinals:
Castelar

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De Laitre

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Donnet (dean) Bourgogne
Eleutherius

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Juun

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(to be relocated?)
Lagier Bourgogne
Lishke

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Strelecki Eiffelland
Taft SWR (to be relocated?)
Von Aschenbach Eiffelland
Gall Caledonia

New cardinals:
OOC: Come one, come all. New cardinals will get their red hats and then be able to fully participate in discussion.
@Caledonia @Eiffelland @Geotri @Bourgogne @Touzen @Pelasgia @Borovanger @Gunnland @Auraria

 

[Crotobaltislavonia]

Cardinal Poggi had never had the opportunity to visit Tibur before and he was impressed.

Surely a City of God.

The black sedan he was riding in passed through ancient streets lined with curious Retalians. At the gates of the papal complex, Bergenheimer mercenaries, resplendent in newly tailored uniforms harkening back to the days of Cosma and Erasmo, but wholly modern in design, saluted the passing car. Inside the complex, the car was in a maze of closely spaced buildings and small tunnels, all barely wide enough to pass through at speed. Coming to a stop in a small courtyard, more guards snapped to attention as one of the Pope's assistanting prelates and a gaggle of young priests stood by to greet the new arrival.

 

[Rheinbund]

Tibur is a large seaport city in the Italian-speaking part of Continental Retalia. With 2 million inhabitants, it is the third-largest city and the second-largest seaport of Retalia. This is the city where the Vacant City, the former residence city of the Pope, is situated. This Vacant City contains several Papal Palaces and other buildings possessed by the Tiburan Catholic Church. All buildings from the Renaissance and the Baroque. Thanks to the efforts by the Municipality of Tibur and a couple of Retalian private companies, all buildings are in a very good shape. The heating works, the sewage works, the water supply works, the electricity works, there is even wired and wireless internet. But the city is vacant. Normally, the palaces are empty. Apart from some monks, priests, clerks, and Bergenheimer Guards who act as security guards, nobody ever walks through the palaces. The furniture is covered in fabric to preserve it.

At least usually. Now the Vacant City is coming to life.

As soon as he became Metropolitan of the Church Province of Eiffelland, Cardinal Strelecki had handed out an order with respect to the cars to be used by the Church in Eiffelland. Priests could not possess opulent limousines or expensive sports cars, not even Archbishops. So Cardinal Strelecki and Cardinal Von Aschenbach arrived in Eiffellandian built family sedans. Both in a very beautiful dark grey colour; that was the only luxury Strelecki allowed. Actually, the cars were barely distinghuishable if you didn't look at the licence plates: The one of Strelecki's car started with a W to indicate that it was registered in Weissenfels, and the one of Von Aschenbach's car started with a K to indicate that it was registered in Köln.

Strelecki and Von Aschenbach had already discussed the plans for the future of the Church in Eiffelland-Retalia. Eiffelland had two Cardinals, but strange enough Retalia had none. This had to change. Retalia had to get a Cardinal. If it was a problem that Eiffelland-Retalia would have three Cardinals, then the Pope could decide not to create the next Bishop of Köln Cardinal. Strelecki would have to retire in two years anyway.
The two Eiffellandian Cardinals also had their ideas about Strelecki's succession: Von Aschenbach would become the new Archbishop of Weissenfels and the Primate of Eiffelland, the Bishop of Trier (Dieter Purzmann) would succeed Von Aschenbach as Archbishop of Köln, and Max Lahnfeld would succeed Purzmann as Bishop of Trier.

But now first the consistory.

OOC: I based my description of Tibur and the Vacant city partly on my own fantasy and partly on this post by Retalia:

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.

OOC 2: Small change: Tibur now has 2 million inhabitants and is the third-largest city of Retalia.

 

[Elben]

Archbishop von Eberstein and his small party from Elben made their way to Tibur by train. With the political situation in Gallogermania having stabilized over the last year, timetables and schedules had normalized, making the trip a smooth one without delays. At the station, they collected all their luggage and commandeered a couple of taxis for the trip to where they were staying, a hostel that catered to visiting clergy within easy walking distance. The rooms were cozy and there were a few restaurants in the neighborhood with interesting menus. After unpacking and getting situated, the group went out to taste some of the local dishes.

Sitting down around a large table, the clerics ordered as best they could in the local tongue and then started discussing what they knew about the archbishop's fellow neophyte cardinals using their much more robust Latin skills.

The proprietor, a wag who had made himself quite familiar with the new names, pulled out his wife from the kitchen and pointed out grey-haired von Eberstein and then began a quick summary of what the papers had to say about the man. "Sixty-two, said to be friends with the pope back in Elben. Definite conservative like all the Elbeners..."

 

[Oneida]

Archbishop Velázquez massaged the bridge of his eyes as the taxi pulled away from the Airport. He put his old iBone down and turned his attention to the cityscape as the ancient city of Tibur came into view.

“Your Grace,” his aide told him, scrolling through his iBone “the e-mail?”

“Another hospital set to close,” the Archbishop replied, in a somber voice “Can you schedule a call with the most appropriate person? I would like to speak with them during this difficult time.”

Difficult did not quite capture the situation in Auraria. President Sanabria’s taxes were the first physical assault on the Church after decades of psychological ones. This new government had capitalized on an anti-clerical message, demonizing the Church for many of the social problems that face Aurarians. Recent violence in Palencia over the closing of a clinic didn’t help.

The situation had weighed heavy on Pablo Velázquez as the Republic’s highest ranking religious figure. As a result, the trip to Tibur – he hoped – would heal his broken spirits. The consistory, he had hoped, would be an appropriate to make the plight of Aurarians the plight of Catholics at large.

“Your Grace,” the aid interrupted his thoughts “Would you care stop for dinner? I know a few places I think you’d like.”

“That’s okay,” he said smiling “I think it best to head to the hotel, the trip took a bit out of me.”

“Not eating will take even more,” the aid persisted.

Velázquez smiled, and leaned back in the uncomfortable taxi seat “Okay then, I trust your judgement.”

 

[Bezonvaux]

Cardinal Raoul Castelar emerged from the plane, he was a true conservative and was suspicious of the Holy Father's plan to unify the churches, but he was a dutiful man and when it came down to it he would follow the Pope's will despite his private reservations.

He was glad however to be out of the country whatever the reason, the Anarcho-Syndicalist ASA government in Saulot had in the wake of the Al-Kez War stepped up its policy of land distributions and " Syndicalizing" the economy which despite the ASA's christian background was more often then not directed at the church and wealthy landowners. He hoped that this Consistory might provide him a platform to to condemn these anarchists to the christian world.

 

[Elben]

At the restaurant

The Elbeners were were talking and waiting for their meals when the Aurarians walked in. All dressed in clerical garb, the two groups sized each other up, trying to discern each other's origins. One of von Eberstein's aides mentioned a name, Velazquez, and the archbishop smiled, recognizing one of his fellow new cardinals. He rose along with those with him and he offered his hand.

A few words were spoken in greeting. The Aurarians were as well versed in their Latin as the Elbeners. The Germanians invited the Gallians to join then and a table and more chairs were brought over. Soon Velazquez was sharing his difficulties and Eberstein listened with interest, knowing how important the Church and her medical services were in his own country.

 

[Elben]

Cardinals new and old were gathered together along with their secretaries and other experts. The first order of business was the proposed agreement with the Orthodox. A prelate detailed by the pope for the job laid out the salient points and then returned to his seat.

The holy father rose and addressed the cardinals. After a discourse, he concluded, "Brethren, we must always seek to reunite with our brothers of the south We believe this agreement allows us to proceed on a path that leads to full communion without falling into heresy." Looking around, he opened the floor, "What say you?"

 

[Rheinbund]

"We have studied the agreement. Your Holiness, we agree with you that this is the right path to reunite with our brothers from the South," Strelecki said.

OOC: Sorry for the delay.