Arch-Patriarch Angelicus: compromise or renewer?April, 4229The new Arch-Patriarch seems to prefer the clergyman's collar to the white Archipatriarchal cassock: "If it's good enough for the Bishop of Haldor, it's good enough for the Bishop of Auroria"Empyrean City, Auroria - After the first Archipatriarchal abdication in centuries - officially due to troubles of age but speculated to be due to disappointment with the mission of ecclesiastical renewal - ended the pontificate of Paulus IX, many Empyrean watchers would have expected a long conclave. What they got was a shorter one, but not overly much - and the outcome has raised questions over the future direction of Aurorian Patriarchalism and of the uproar over the "Other Theology". Many predict the new Arch-Patriarch, whoever he would be, would have his hands full trying to bring the flock back together, and the choice of the Conclave would give some clarity.
They were confounded by the outcome of the Conclave itself, which delivered an unexpected name: 60-year old Cardinal Robrecht Bruderle, the little-seen Arcbishop of Haldor, wasn't a convocational insider - in fact, he seemed content to have administered his Archdiocese of Haldor as
"almost a diocese-wide parish priest, approachable and always in a spirit of service, having endless patience and boundless amount of times for the lay volunteers as well as the clergy". He certainly wasn't one of the
papabili, after reports from within the Conclave that it was deadlocked between a traditionalist from the Selucian tradition and a progressive from the Theognosian tradition. Many speculate that the new Arch-Patriarch was chosen for his inexperience and low profile in Auroria, where he wasn't often seen, making him easier to steer for the slightly disturbed members of the Convocations, who, overwhelmingly Selucian, were not happy with the new openness.
However, when the new Arch-Patriarch, clad in all the vestments proper to his position, appeared on the balcony, the crowds were in for a huge surprise: he had taken the name Angelicus, unlike any predecessor, after St. Angelicus of Subasium, who is generally honoured as a reformer of the Church back to a more simple, annunciate tradition. So far, it's not remained the only indication that the combating parties might've scored an own goal with the new guy. The following day, the new Holy Father must've caused many more heart issues in the arch-conservative upper regions of the Church when, instead of his white Archipatriarchal cassock, he appeared at an audience with the press in his normal episcopal clergyman's shirt and collar, stating that
"what is good enough for the Archbishop of Haldor is good enough for the Bishop of Auroria."Nevertheless, the Arch-Patriarch refused to be drawn on the pressing issues facing the Church. He insisted his predecessor, Arch-Patriarch Emeritus Paulus IX, could not have been wrong.
"You know the teachings on the Michaelan Magisterium as well as I" and said the Ecumenical efforts would continue. On the other hand, he said he was not convinced of the need to take any side precipitously.
"I'm a Bishop, a shepherd. You can take your time to get the herd back to the stables and that's what I will do - as Servant of the Faithful."