THE NEW POPE

Michael Noakes complains (July 5) that he could find no defence when asked by a friend what the Coronation of the Pope had to do with Christianity. May I suggest to him the following answer ?
The Pope's Coronation has everything to do with Christianity. It is the solemn, public act of selfdedication of the man called by God to direct and serve Christ's Church on earth. The whole rite is focused on the Mass, the supreme act of worship ordained by Christ Himself. The Pope represents, not only the Carpenter of Nazareth of 2,000 years ago, but that same Carpenter now transformed and glorified as Christ the Eternal King reigning in Heaven in majesty. It has always been the right and natural instinct of Christians to want to give back to God the very best of His created gifts — music as perfect as may be, dignity and richness of ceremonial, beauty of sacred vessels and vestments. Some of us may, indeed, venture to feel that the traditional vestments of Pope and Cardinals and some of the traditional court pageantry could now, perhaps, be simplified without loss of beauty. But the principle remains, As regards J. W. Clifton's comments — I should like to add that a non-Catholic, generally very critical of all things Catholic and particularly of all things Italian, in whose company I saw the TV recording, spontaneously remarked on the reverence and dignity with which the whole rite was carried out.
As for the M.C. — would it not be kinder to sympathise with one on whom rested the responsibility. of seeing that an inevitably long and complicated ceremony, watched by millions, was conducted without a hitch? Would it not be almost superhuman, under such circumstances, to show no signs of being. at moments, somewhat worried and flustered? J. M. C. Toynbee Oxford.
Perhaps we can find some crumb of comfort in the fact that our new Holy Father, who at his Coronation spoke in nine languages including our own, is par excellence a citizen of the world. Leonard Stevens Effingham.