I love this headline..
Global Flock Prepares for the Loss of Its Shepherd
The pope will be dead any minute now, and Catholics worldwide won't have anyone to tell them what to think or do, at least until the next guy is installed in some kind of secret process.
The Times has an interesting graphic showing what happens in the nine days, called the Novendiales, following a pope's death.
My favorite part is on day 1, when the Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, or camerlengo, "may or may not follow the traditional practice of tapping the pope's forehead with a silver mallet." What's up with that?
Anyway, as it was with Terri Schiavo, I don't quite understand all the grief from the devoutly religious, primarily because according to their beliefs, death for the super godly isn't a bad thing. The pope is going to be with Jesus now, right? Isn't it "god's will"? Why pray for his earthly suffering to continue as long as possible? Let him go.
Bye bye, pope. I hardly knew ye. Scratch that, I didn't know ye at all.
UPDATE : As pointed out by Laurel and seconded via email by Frank of Luxembourg, the whole silver hammer thing must be the same thing referenced in the Beatles' song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer."
Bang bang Maxwell's silver hammer made sure he was dead.
