Tarzan
08-19-2002, 02:52 AM
Breaking news, everyone:
[begin quote]
Every time a new Pope is elected, there's a
whole lot
of rituals and ceremonies that have to be
gone
through, in accordance with tradition. Well
there's
one tradition that very few people know
about.
Shortly after the new Pope is enthroned, the
Chief
Rabbi seeks an audience. He is shown into the
Pope's
presence, whereupon he presents him with a
silver tray
bearing a velvet cushion. On top of the
cushion is an
ancient, shriveled parchment envelope.
The Pope symbolically stretches out his arm
in a
gesture of rejection.
The Chief Rabbi then retires, taking the
envelope with
him and does not return until the next Pope
is
elected. John Paul II was intrigued by this
ritual,
whose origins were unknown to him. He
instructed the
best scholars of the Vatican to research it,
but they
came up with nothing. When the time came and
the Chief
Rabbi was shown into his presence, he
faithfully
enacted the ritual rejection but, as the
Chief Rabbi
turned to leave, he called him back.
"My brother," the Holy Father whispered, "I
must
confess that we Catholics are ignorant of the
meaning
of this ritual enacted for centuries between
us and
you, the representative of the Jewish people.
I have
to ask you, what is it all about?"
The Chief Rabbi shrugs and replies: "But we
have no
more idea than you do. The origin of the
ceremony is
lost in the traditions of ancient history."
The Pope said: "Let us retire to my private
chambers
and enjoy a glass of wine together, then,
with your
agreement, we shall open the envelope and
discover at last the secret."
The Chief Rabbi agreed.
Fortified in their resolve by the wine, they
gingerly
pried open the curling parchment envelope and
with
trembling fingers, the Chief Rabbi reached
inside and extracted a folded sheet of
similarly
ancient paper. As the Pope peered over his
shoulder,
he slowly opened it.
They both gasped with shock...
...it was the check for the Last Supper
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[begin quote]
Every time a new Pope is elected, there's a
whole lot
of rituals and ceremonies that have to be
gone
through, in accordance with tradition. Well
there's
one tradition that very few people know
about.
Shortly after the new Pope is enthroned, the
Chief
Rabbi seeks an audience. He is shown into the
Pope's
presence, whereupon he presents him with a
silver tray
bearing a velvet cushion. On top of the
cushion is an
ancient, shriveled parchment envelope.
The Pope symbolically stretches out his arm
in a
gesture of rejection.
The Chief Rabbi then retires, taking the
envelope with
him and does not return until the next Pope
is
elected. John Paul II was intrigued by this
ritual,
whose origins were unknown to him. He
instructed the
best scholars of the Vatican to research it,
but they
came up with nothing. When the time came and
the Chief
Rabbi was shown into his presence, he
faithfully
enacted the ritual rejection but, as the
Chief Rabbi
turned to leave, he called him back.
"My brother," the Holy Father whispered, "I
must
confess that we Catholics are ignorant of the
meaning
of this ritual enacted for centuries between
us and
you, the representative of the Jewish people.
I have
to ask you, what is it all about?"
The Chief Rabbi shrugs and replies: "But we
have no
more idea than you do. The origin of the
ceremony is
lost in the traditions of ancient history."
The Pope said: "Let us retire to my private
chambers
and enjoy a glass of wine together, then,
with your
agreement, we shall open the envelope and
discover at last the secret."
The Chief Rabbi agreed.
Fortified in their resolve by the wine, they
gingerly
pried open the curling parchment envelope and
with
trembling fingers, the Chief Rabbi reached
inside and extracted a folded sheet of
similarly
ancient paper. As the Pope peered over his
shoulder,
he slowly opened it.
They both gasped with shock...
...it was the check for the Last Supper
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]