Protesters are not pining away about Pope Francis being buried in basically a small pine box to top off a low-key affair, led on-key by the 20-member Sistine Chapel Choir, so the pontiff’s passing backed by an orchestra, prior to interment in a simple plot with a one-word notation, “Francis,” in a cemetery not used since the 19th century. That’s six words less than the mere seven marked on the tombstone of singing legend Ronnie James Dio, who grew up Catholic and despite a small spate of differences with their personal theology, the short metalhead had inscribed a song title with which I’m sure the pope would like, not a tall order for these two men who both loved music (more on that below) including the operatic. Dio was Italian, and Francis of course lived for many years in Italy.
This is in very sharp contrast to the military parade that according to published reports is only rising in price, to glorify President Trump, not God by being his servant, on his 79th birthday June 14, and to cost more than a million for each one of his years, starting at $90-times-one-million, then going up to $93M, (like our local radio station 93X?) and now set at $100,000,000. The newly planted (I debated about using that word but His Holiness sure had a sense of humor) pope would surely roll over in his grave, although reportedly it appears that unlike entombed Beethoven — whom he enjoyed — the pope has more than one coffin. Can’t confirm that though, since I didn’t get an invite to the funeral. I have met someone, in downtown Hudson, whose brother got invited to Dio’s back in 2010. Eulogies unveiled years later.
— So now we are a week later, and I get a free Catholic publication in the mail, of which I am familiar with their tight and early production schedule, and I had been wondering how they would deal with the pope’s death, as it happened just as they went to the printing press. It had an article quoting Francis a couple of days after he had been buried.
He must have a press secretary, for press releases, who is clairvoyant. Or he too was speaking from the grave, (like someone else whose death we recognized just over a week ago. But wait, He has since risen and is back, penning sermons, at his Old School typewriter no doubt, so scratch that.) One last joke, and am sure the pope and prince of peace won’t mind: For you Catholic geeks, you know the meaning of the much-talked-about speaking ex cathedra, a popely declaration made only under “grave” conditions of faith and morals — while on the Chair of Peter, so was that buried with him? — and pontiffs have only dared to use it twice, that’s about once a millennium, so this means they must be damn (sorry) sure of its viability. So if there ever was a time to go three, hey, if you can pull it off by speaking while entombed … There are death metal bands who would kill for that opp. The latest pope infallable in all but death? —
But these were humbler men, and in some ways simpler times than today’s slash and burn, although trial by cleansing fire is a frequent though ying/yang and (one of Dio’s songs) the heaven/hell theme. The two men adocated again, being humble not haughty, going beyond mere metaphor, but still found in their song and speech. The Trump tab, I’m sure not paid by him at least directly, does not even include many millions for added security, like the inauguration, and the proposal for a much similar parade about eight years ago that was cancelled in the long run. By contrast, no one is expected to shoot at the funeral procession of an already dead man, though one of God, so give them back their bullets, the theory of this all being that those 250,000 attendees had little to fear — unlike anything where a by-and-large unholy politician who is indeed a politician shows up, waving from a float (or larger than life tank or other carrier) rather than a balcony.
For the funeral for Francis, it was like getting into a trendy LA or NYC club, hard to do unless you are a dignitary. Everyone was supposed to be Men In Black, but Trump defied them with that dark navy same suit, blue on black. Jill Biden, back four rows, stole the show with her choice of attire, a not so little black dress that included spike heels. Melania Trump, also, done ditched the dress and came in an outfit with a double-breasted blazer prominent. She had left our native soil for the Vatican in flats, with hat added.
There was the presence of stardom too, if only through the power of the written note. It came in the form of Whoopi Goldberg, Patti Smith (who penned a poem for him referencing a lovely dandelion) and Gloria Estefan and other Latin artists, Jimmy Fallon who was criticized when having an actual audience with the pontiff, by making it too much about himself, (but hey aren’t you supposed to insert people’s stories and experiences such as even your own into homilies), and the list of musicians who had actually met Francis included those you might expect, plus a more wide-ranging in style group featuring the likes of Sting, Bono and even Katy Perry, known for racy outfits and lyrics but still widely regarded to be a Christian. (There was also the filmmaker documenting Christ in Martin Scoresese, he of intellectual roles Russell Crowe and lesser so Eva Longoria.)
Perry had recently gotten back from a spaceship where she flew above the earth with four other women luminaries, dubbed Blue Origin, gathered space dust and baked it into cookies, picked up and polished the orbiting space junk, ironed astronaut spacesuits, cleaned and fixed up everything that need be out there in space, and still had time to run various tests and pose together with a space selfie, (OK I made up all the tasks but the last part.) Some nerdy space scientists had originally planned to send the really cool Blue Man Group in their stead, but they … faded.
Perry generally is the author of a number redone by the choir at the St. Paul Cathedral during a recent concert. They had also been asked to be backup singers at her concert in the city. The conductor at the church was surprised to hear that Perry, by most sources, is considered Christian. By comparison, most everything at the funeral of Francis was Old School Classical, if that is a term, and is used as much as a requiem, although the pontiff reportedly also had an ear for Italian classical-pop. Performances for him at a Christmas concert in 2019 helped cross that musical bridge, from a Got Talent sensation, then Lionel Richie, Bonnie Tyler and Susan Boyle. The pope’s personal fave is not surprisingly Mozart, with a song that he says “lifts you to God,” and the rest of that storyline is also eclectic.
At the funeral itself, there were no rockers of record, and even the tributes have been slim. That is not unusual because though many secular musicians share the same ideals and even religion, they typically keep it to themselves except for well-chosen lines in their songs, or just short phrases sprinkled in, and even in interviews don’t like to be pigeonholed by their faith. (Although they are aware that they analyze that of public figures and philosophies, and recognize the irony.)
Dio, referenced earlier, is one of few who had occasionally spoken about it. On his tombstone, like the one word “Francis,” is just one phrase, “I’m The Man On The Silver Mountain.” This is from his early work with Rainbow, a song that refers to, I think, the men who were transfigured with Christ and did not want to leave and return to their earthly homes, but instead remain in joy on the sacred higher ground. Like a few other of Dio’s songs, he said, there is reference to a “Christ-like figure.”
You could do worse than to argue that Francis and Dio are both men on the silver mountain.