The Pope without a cassock sends an important signal

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Pope Francis' "appearance" in public without a white cassock, as is customary for a pope or seems to be required by some, briefly caused a stir. According to reports, he wanted to pray in St Peter's Basilica. It is more than understandable that Francis, as a man of deep faith, seeks encouragement in prayer in his situation, which is characterised by illness and frailty. But he could also do this in the private chapel.

And so the questions arise: Can a pope simply allow himself to be pushed into St Peter's Basilica by an orderly without being recognisable as a pope in his appearance? Why does he ignore all security concerns and jeopardise his own health in his unstable state? We can only speculate about what happened in the press.

Pope Francis is a man, as became clear during his time in office, who always shows his face personally and thus becomes visible in all his ambivalence as a human being with his faults and weaknesses. This was not always easy to understand and for some it was difficult to reconcile with the papal office, which ascribes infallibility to the minister in matters of faith that he does not have as a person. A person who can never be infallible can only fail because of this.

Without wishing to stylise this appearance by Pope Francis, it can be seen as an indication that Francis is not only facing up to his vulnerability as a human being in private, but is showing it openly. As a leader, especially one who is following in the footsteps of Jesus, whose path to the cross we are following these days, this is not a sign of weakness, as leadership concepts have recently emphasised. It is an important signal to society, which, although vulnerable, often does not admit its own vulnerability. We are often ashamed of it or suppress it. However, according to theologian Hildegund Keul, those who want to protect themselves from vulnerability often produce vulnerability, i.e. can hurt others. In these times, in which we are surrounded by autocrats who show their power more blatantly than ever with power-grabbing gestures, Pope Francis is coming out into the open in all his weakness and showing strength. He is sending out a signal: See the human being! Respect their vulnerability!