[More blog entries about history, humour, engineering, catholicism; historia, humor, teknologi, katolicism.]
The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm is advertising a position as lecturer on the subject of bridge-building, in other words, a Pope.
One of the most ancient honorary titles of the Supreme Pontiff is Pontifex Maximus, literally "Greatest Bridge-maker". Explains Wikipedia:
"The Pontifex Maximus was the high priest of the Ancient Roman College of Pontiffs. This was the most important position in the Ancient Roman religion, open only to patricians, until 254 BC, when a plebeian first occupied this post. A distinctly religious office under the early Roman Republic, it gradually became politicized until, beginning with Augustus, it was subsumed into the Imperial office. It was last held by the Christian Roman Emperor Gratian until the title passed over to the Bishop of Rome.Today, 'Pontifex Maximus' is one of the titles of the Bishop of Rome as Pope of the Catholic Church.
[...]
The term pontifex literally means 'bridge-builder' (pons + facere); maximus literally means 'the greatest', i.e. the highest. This was perhaps originally meant in a literal sense: the position of bridge-builder was indeed an important one in Rome, where the major bridges were over the Tiber, the holy river (and a deity, at the same time); only prestigious authorities, with sacral functions, could be allowed to 'disturb' it with mechanical additions. However, it was always understood in its symbolic sense as well: the pontifices were the ones who smoothened the bridge between gods and men [...]"
Who will become the Anti-Pope of Stockholm?
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ah...the Pontifix...
....gonna send an email to Benedict, and tell him to go to a job interview in Stockholm
The ritual manual that a bishop uses is called a 'pontificale', literally a manual of bridging.
The title of the bishop, though, was (and is) episcopus, which means somebody who watches all over the place (er, or from above - ok, I'm stretching it a bit there).
On a side note, the building of bridges (and roads) was considered a good christian deed in Early Middle Age Scandinavia.
But then again, people have always loved people who keep the roads and bridges working...
Hmm, logically the Anti-pope must be one who knocks bridges down, so shouldn't that be the guy on the bridge of Lodbrok?
The idea of Ratzi joining my old alma mater certainly triggers some interesting thoughts (such as "How long would he last at a good student-faculty party?", "How many drinking songs does he know?" and "Would he agitate against all the fun that goes on at Osqvik (the student union's cabin)?").
Reading (well, quote-mining, if you want to be picky about it) the job description, it is evident that some of his experience might fit in quite well:
I think Elton John would make a pretty good Pope.