Chapter 350
The appearance of the morning star always captures people’s attention.
The religious community, stagnant and rotting, has drawn the ire of intellectuals, laypeople, and the masses alike. In such circumstances, the birth of a new saint has gathered everyone’s expectations.
The clergyman, more religious than anyone else, is a priest who has quietly dedicated himself in the lowest, darkest places.
Lucia, the second saint in history, untainted and pure, naturally became the center of attention.
The disciple of the divine handed a key to the Pope, capable of opening the gates of heaven, while the angel, a servant of the divine, delivered revelations to the saint.
So then, what exactly did the divine bestow upon Lucia?
An enormous amount of divinity that even bishops and cardinals could not access?
The determination to abandon the worldly status envied by all to meet just one person?
Or perhaps an upright heart that does not waver in the face of hardship and adversity?
What message is the divine trying to convey to the religious figures, who have become tainted by the secular world, through this new saint?
Debates erupted across various fields such as politics, society, culture, and religion.
Would Lucia truly bring about any noticeable change? What was the reason she received the divine’s favor? And, does she possess the qualifications to become a saint?
However, no intellectual could provide a clear answer.
And this applied to her as well.
“Saint.”
At the voice of the priest calling her name, Lucia softly opened her closed eyes.
Reflected in her sea-like blue eyes were the fluttering flags of the Holy See, the lined-up guardsmen, and the tense expressions of clergymen and monks.
And then.
“I have read the letter.”
Before her stood the seasoned Pope, John XVI.
He addressed the saint about to undergo the canonization ceremony.
“Shall we walk for a moment?”
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Episode 14 – One Religion, One Faith, Two Saints
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Though others may not know, Pope John XVI harbors a secret hobby.
Thinking about the immoral and sinister preferences of some clergy is quite troubling. For an elderly man on the brink of death, even the act of living each day is burdensome, making it exceedingly difficult to indulge in trivial hobbies like others do.
Thus, the hobbies permitted to the Pope must inherently possess a simple nature, unlike any other leader.
“Let us continue walking. We cannot stop,” said Pope John XVI, the leader of the sect, gesturing with a tightly clenched handkerchief.
As he hurried along, his pure white attire swayed gently, and the red shoes crafted by a skilled artisan brushed through the grass.
Dressed in her immaculate white attire and red shoes, Lucia carefully lifted the hem of her dress and matched her pace with the elderly man’s strides.
They strolled through the historic gardens of the Lateran, the holy site of their sect, as the Pope wiped his mouth with the handkerchief and sighed.
“Ah….”
“Are you alright?”
“Oh, I’m fine.”
In response to Lucia’s concerned question, John XVI flashed a bright smile.
“I just got a bit winded. Steering this old body around isn’t easy, but such effort is necessary to maintain the health that God has granted me.”
“Indeed. Health is the greatest blessing.”
With a gentle smile, Lucia nodded for a moment. Then the Pope adjusted his grip on the staff with the hand holding the handkerchief and quickened his steps again.
The grand Tranquille Cathedral, boasting a deep history, matched its reputation with a majestic scale. The garden was no exception, allowing the two to enjoy a rather lengthy walk together.
During that extensive stroll, John XVI and Lucia exchanged various conversations.
The atmosphere of their talks, amid the blossoming garden of spring, was calm, and the content was light and free of weight.
For reference, the first to speak was the initiator of the walk.
“Getting older makes it exceedingly hard to manage my body as I’d like. Believe it or not, I was quite confident in my stamina among the clergy back in the day, but nowadays, just waking up in the morning is a struggle.”
John XVI was a renowned priest within the sect. He began his life as a religious figure serving in a large parish known for its talent. After serving as a parish priest, he became the bishop’s secretary, worked as a civil servant, and his reputation continued to grow until he was elected as Pope.
A significant aspect of his illustrious clergy life was his experience with the Inquisition.
A protector of faith, a punisher of heretics.
John XVI was one of the most notable figures in the Inquisition known for its talented individuals, having achieved numerous accomplishments.
Recognizing those merits, he was promoted to the positions of cardinal and bishop through recommendations from the National Affairs Council and ultimately ascended to the papal throne, fulfilling the dream of every bishop.
Of course, all of these accomplishments were merely a thing of the past, for John XVI was an imminent retiree.
As with everything in life, there is a beginning and an end; an ascent and a decline. Once a power-holder willingly relinquishes power, they can no longer be called a power-holder.
He wasn’t unaware of this reality. John XVI chuckled, making a self-deprecating joke.
“With the new Pope’s inauguration just around the corner, everyone now treats me like a stranger. Is it because I’m an old man about to leave the Holy See? Lately, even when I go for a walk, only the guardsmen follow me.”
“Please don’t say that, even as a joke. You are still the Pope.”
“If it’s merely about saving face, I appreciate it, but there’s no need to fret. I’m actually quite happy now.”
“And why do you feel at ease?”
“Well, simply put, the weight of the Holy See has been lifted off my shoulders.”
John XVI added with a bright smile.
“Bishops envy me, but being Pope is less exciting than one might think. With so many eyes upon you, there’s a lot to uphold, and it’s hard to act upon your intentions or desires. That’s why I’m happy these days. My successor has finally appeared.”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed, it is.”
The garden was vast, and the walkway was long enough for the tale of an elderly man to unfold thoroughly.
As the cool breeze fluttered their garments, the Pope’s mouth seemed to never tire of speaking.
“Certainly, with age, I feel like I’ve become more talkative, both in thoughts and in words. Every night before bed, I pray, but my mind is constantly tugging at me with distractions.”
“There’s no one in this world who lives without worries. I too share the same sentiments.”
“Aha, looks like the saint has many worries as well. Hehe. I thought it was just me suffering alone—how reassuring it is to hear.”
Seemingly delighted to meet someone who shared his struggles, John XVI smiled. As he tapped the pebbles with the staff specially made for the Pope, he appeared to slow his pace.
Though his speed decreased, his walk remained dignified. His conversation was no different.
John XVI continued speaking in a tone akin to that of a grandfather addressing his granddaughter.
“Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Age. Nowadays, this old man feels it’s quite tough to move around like I used to. With each passing day, my body breaks down and my mind fogs up. It feels like my head is filled with mist. Back when I was young, I would work late into the night, drink, and smoke, but now just smelling smoke makes me cough and come evening, my eyes grow heavy.”
Suddenly, a smile spread across the elderly man’s face.
And with a voice laced with jest, he continued.
“Thus, I’ve taken up hobbies like walking. It’s essential for maintaining the dignity of a Pope.”
Health is God’s greatest blessing.
“This is a gift of grace. Can a person claiming to be the Pope be this frail?”
At that joking question, Lucia smiled.
For quite a while, the Pope tapped a pebble with his staff. After about ten minutes of walking, he finally seemed to have exhausted his strength and plopped down onto a chair provided along the trail.
“Ugh….”
“I shall assist you.”
“Thank you.”
Lucia supported Pope John XVI so he could sit. Once she stood in a modest posture, as if she had fulfilled her duty by helping him to the chair, the Pope gently offered her a seat.
Just as Lucia settled into the chair, a sudden silence enveloped the once bustling area.
In that peculiar silence, Lucia pondered for a moment what words she should use to break the ice.
However, the first to shatter the silence was not her, but Pope John XVI. He covered his mouth with a handkerchief and coughed repeatedly, naturally folding the handkerchief and putting it away.
“Indeed. As I grow older, even managing my own body doesn’t go as smoothly as I’d like. The same goes for work. Looking back, there hasn’t been a single thing that has gone my way lately.”
The Pope’s complaints continued.
“Whether it’s mediating disputes between the Cardinals and Bishops or contending with the powerful leaders of rival nations, even choosing what to have for dinner isn’t easy. And of course, there’s the hottest topic in the church’s history regarding the new Saint.”
“…….”
“I’m not blaming you. While it was the clergy who placed you in the position of Saint, it was the will of God that led you there. So please, don’t take it too heavily, Saint. Just think of it as the ramblings of an old man.”
Listening to the Pope’s words, Lucia nodded slightly.
“I am listening.”
“Thank you.”
The Pope adjusted his grip on the staff and let out a faint sigh. It was the kind of sigh that a person preoccupied with thought would make.
“I already know why you sent me a letter. I understand the feelings behind it as well. Considering your nature, it’s not particularly surprising.”
“…….”
“You came here today to convey your apologies to me, didn’t you?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“I suspected as much.”
Just as if he had expected it, the Pope readily nodded. He stroked his cheeks, jaw, and thereupon opened his mouth.
“You don’t need to wonder how I know your character. I am already prepared to answer.”
“What method did you use to read my thoughts, Your Holiness?”
“Well, because I received revelation.”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean, I read the reports.”
With a tone suggesting he had nothing to hide, Pope John XVI, the celestial gatekeeper and master of the Holy See, replied.
“People think the Inquisition only watches out for heretics, but it also keeps an eye on the internal workings of the cult. Since I worked there, I am well aware. The Inquisition is akin to the Pope’s eyes and ears. And those eyes and ears inform me of what the clerics eat and drink, where they sleep, and what they think.”
“…….”
In other words, it meant that the Inquisition had been surveilling the clerics of the cult.
However, neither Lucia nor Pope John XVI found this particularly shocking. The surveillance by the Inquisition had been an open secret.
Like all information agencies, the Inquisition prides itself on being the eyes and ears of the highest authority, the Pope. From the personalities of the clerics to their relationships and private lives, all information is relayed to the Pope through the Inquisition.
That information is usually put to various uses. It serves as oversight in promotions for clerics, unveiling corruption and wrongdoing, chasing rumors circulating among people, and sometimes providing an advantage in secret negotiations between high-ranking clerics and the Pope.
Of course, such tales are mere gossip among the clerics. The Inquisition, as an information agency, operates in secrecy, far from the gaze of ordinary people.
Like any information agency, this too was nothing more than rumors surrounding the Inquisition.
At least, that’s how it seemed until the Pope acknowledged it.
“I have reports on all the clerics.”
“…All of them?”
“Yes. Among them is a report on you, the Saint.”
The Pope recited the materials collected by the Inquisition verbatim.
“Grades received from the seminary, evaluations by professors, your attitude toward those around you, your abilities, and even the relationship with Cardinal Raul that people don’t know about—everything from the status of your parents to the reasons you were placed in a convent is detailed.”
“…….”
“You needn’t be shocked. Until I became Pope, I was under the Inquisition’s scrutiny myself. I heard about this from my predecessor.”
“…The Pope, you mean?”
Pope John XVI nodded heavily.
“From the moment I entered the Inquisition, I was subject to the oversight of the Inspection Office, so it was an entirely predictable outcome. However, when tales of my children came from the mouth of the Pope, I must admit, I was shocked. Just like you are now.”
Lucia absentmindedly caressed her face. Without realizing it, her lips had stiffened into a hard line.
Before the dazed Lucia, the Pope warned in a low voice—an advisory tone.
“If you are to become a Saint, it would be wise to get used to this. Until now, it has only been the Inquisition keeping an eye on you, but now others are paying attention too. Such is the nature of that position.”
To heed caution regarding the bishops and cardinals of the cult.
Uncertain, Lucia expressed her gratitude, saying “Thank you for the advice.”
Looking satisfied at Lucia, Pope John XVI smiled gently and began.
“I am glad you understood. For now, let’s set this topic aside. There’s much I wish to discuss, but my time as an old man is quite limited. If, by chance, you are here to express your apologies to me now, I would answer that I have already accepted that apology.”
The Pope pulled out the handkerchief he had briefly stowed and coughed soundly again. It was a fit of coughing so vigorous it would worry any observer.
However, the Pope didn’t seem to mind at all. He concealed the handkerchief in his pocket and opened his mouth directly.
His voice, slightly raspy and tinged with the metallic quality that comes with age.
Pope John XVI, resting his hand on his staff, began to speak.
“Today, I want to discuss something I have postponed—our church’s future.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“Before that, may I ask you one thing?”
Pope John XVI’s eyes glimmered as he gazed at Lucia.
“Saint, do you believe the church is moving in the right direction?”
