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HomeLifestyleHow influential Catholic Archbishop is conspicuously absent from two Popes in Vatican

How influential Catholic Archbishop is conspicuously absent from two Popes in Vatican

VATICAN-(MaraviPost)-POPE FRANCIS hit headlines this week after footage emerged of him slapping a woman’s hand on New Years Eve, just a month after the religious leader featured in a new film about the relationship between him and Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI.

In the video, a pilgrim is seen grabbing the Pope’s hand as he greeted Catholics in St Peter’s Square; she then yanked him towards her and would not let go.

 Francis slapped her hand away, visibly annoyed, but later apologised for his actions, saying “sometimes even I lose patience”.

Towards the end of last year, a film was released on Netflix called The Two Popes which explored the circumstances that surrounded Benedict’s shock resignation in 2013.

It is highly unusual for a pope to resign – Benedict was the first to do so since Gregory XII in 1415 and the first to do so of his own accord since Celestine V in 1294.

In the film, the philosophical differences between Benedict and Francis is laid bare amid flashbacks and actual footage of relevant past events.

While Benedict is a traditionalist Catholic, believing church dogma to be unchanging, Francis appears to believe that the church must adapt with the times and that change is a good thing.

However, there is one significant person in all this who is significantly absent from the film – Archbishop Georg Ganswein.

Pope Francis Archbishop George Ganswein

Pope Francis and Archbishop Georg Ganswein (Image: GETTY)

Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI (Image: GETTY)

The Archbishop is Benedict’s long-time personal secretary and a close ally in the Vatican, continuing to work with him in his retirement. 

A larger than life character, Ganswein has arguably been a thorn in Francis’ side ever since he became pope, even going as far as to proclaim that this is a twin-pope pontificate, thus undermining Francis’ claim to singular supremacy in the church. 

According to the Irish Examiner, he is even part of a group of traditionalist Catholics that meet up to plot how to undermine Francis and his reforms.

The group, led by Princess Gloria of Thurn and Taxis, reportedly has meetings also attended by several Cardinals and former White House strategist Steve Bannon.

the two popes

Anthony Hopkins played Benedict and Jonathan Pryce played Francis in The Two Popes (Image: GETTY)

Religious correspondent TP O’Mahony claimed that they are seeking to use Benedict’s legacy to lend legitimacy to their anti-Francis campaign.

However, it is unknown whether Benedict knows or approves of this.

Nicknamed ‘Gorgeous George’ in the Vatican, Archbishop Ganswein is a surprising omission from the film because of his prominent role supporting Benedict and his unusual position in officially assisting both Benedict and Francis simultaneously after the latter was elected.

While not many characters feature in the film, as his private secretary it is highly likely that the Archbishop would have been around should these two men have really met as they did.

pope vatican the two popes

Hopkins as Benedict and Pryce as Francis in The Two Popes (Image: GETTY)

archbischop ganswein pope benedict

Archbishop Ganswein with Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI (Image: GETTY)

What’s more, in the film it is claimed that Benedict almost always ate dinner alone when he was pope, playing into his characterisation as a sad, friendless somewhat-misanthrope, but he in fact regularly ate with his secretaries – including Ganswein.

Ganswein has been Prefect of the Pontifical Household since 2012, when he was made Archbishop of Urbs Salvia.

His role includes arranging papal audiences – both public and private – and handling the logistics of large Vatican events and ceremonies.

After Benedict announced he was resigning just two months after his appointment, Ganswein moved with him to Castel Gandolfo while continuing in his role as the head of the Pontifical Household.

The Archbishop has claimed he knew about Benedict’s plan to resign for “quite some time beforehand” and tried in vain to change his mind.

He said the news felt like an “amputation” and that accepting his new role was “painful”.

After several months working for Francis, he said: “At the beginning of each day, I find myself once again waiting to see what will be different today.”

In the evening after 9pm he handles Benedict’s affairs.

pope francis archbishop ganswein

Archbishop Ganswein with Pope Francis (Image: GETTY)

On the first anniversary of Benedict’s resignation, Ganswein said: “I am certain, indeed convinced,  that history will offer a judgement that will be different than what one often reads in the last years of his pontificate because the sources are clear and clarity springs from them.”

In 2015, Ganswein denied a rumour that the Pope Emeritus met with conservative cardinals concerned that the Synod of Bishops on the Family might allow civilly remarried Catholics access to the Eucharist – a key policy of Pope Francis – branding this “pure invention”. 

When, in 2017, some commentators interpretened words from Benedict as a crticiism of Francis, Ganswein called them “stupid people” and that they engaged in “fantasy”.

Source: express.co.uk

Lloyd M’bwana
Lloyd M’bwanahttps://www.maravipost.com
I'm a Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR)'s Environmental Science graduate (Malawi) and UK's ICM Journalism and Media studies scholar. Also University of Malawi (UNIMA) Library Science Scholar. I have been The Malawi Country Manager and duty editor for the Maravi Post since 2019. My duty editor’s job is to ensure that the news is covered properly, that it is delivered on time, and that it is created to the standards set out in the editorial guidelines of the Maravi Post.
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