Why have a photo of the bishop in the sacristy?
score:5
Because from the earliest times, bishops have been seen as the fulcrum of the local Christian community: the priests being their fellow workers; and the deacons their servants. Apostolic succession also comes through the bishops who alone can ordain new bishops and priests.
For example, St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch in A.D. 107, writes in his epistle to the Smyrnaeans (Chapter 8):
See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is administered either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.
So while there is no explicit or authoritative documentation on the custom, this is almost certainly the reason sacristies have a photo of the local bishop: showing the centrality of the local bishop, and the authority and jurisdiction which comes from him, to and via the priesthood, to the faithful.
In the Roman Rite we also have the acknowledgement of the local bishop in the Canon (a for all intents and purposes unchanged part of the perennial Roman Rite of Mass):
...
To you, therefore, most merciful Father, we make humble prayer and petition through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, and bless these gifts, these offerings, these holy and unblemished sacrifices, which we offer you firstly for your holy catholic Church. Be pleased to grant her peace, to guard, unite and govern her throughout the whole world, together with your servant N. our pope and N. our bishop, and all those who, holding to the truth, hand on the catholic and apostolic faith. Remember, Lord, your servants N. and N. and all gathered here, whose faith and devotion are known to you. For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise—or they themselves offer it—and all who are dear to them: for the redemption of their souls, in hope of health and well-being, and paying their homage to you, the eternal God, living and true. In communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-virgin Mary, mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ,† and blessed Joseph, her spouse, your blessed apostles and martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, (James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude; Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian) and all your saints; we ask that through their merits and prayers, in all things we may be defended by your protecting help. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. ...
The bishop (as well as the pope) serve to symbolize—as well as realize and maintain—unity and catholicity in the communities that make up the one body of the Catholic Church.
More post
- 📝 According to Reformed Theology, are Catholics Christians?
- 📝 Is moonlighting an offense against Ten Commandments?
- 📝 Do any denominations rank the apostles?
- 📝 How to verify if a "message from God" came from God?
- 📝 What traditions hold that Satan is not actually a person?
- 📝 What is the earliest mention of the Three Pillars of Catholicism?
- 📝 Did Jesus and the repentant thief reunite in heaven on the very day they died?(Catholic view)
- 📝 No one has ever seen God or can see God, what were the colors John used to describe Him in Revelation 4:1-5?
- 📝 How is modern day Christian morality reconciled with the morality of the Bible?
- 📝 Can the Pope speak ex cathedra about the return of Christ?
- 📝 Neurotheology and God
- 📝 Was Jesus Christ a refugee?
- 📝 If both the Orthodox and Catholic Church affirm salvation by grace through faith, why did the Protestant Reformation happen?
- 📝 Is breaking copyright law a sin?
- 📝 Does Jesus eat food in heaven?
- 📝 Why Was Jesus Represented as Being Born in a Cave?
- 📝 What Christianity offers which other religions cannot?
- 📝 How do Protestants interpret Ezekiel 18:20-32?
- 📝 In the history of the Catholic Church, has the Sunday obligation to go to Mass ever been dispensed of due to some serious communicable disease?
- 📝 What is the take of Catholic Church on the dream of Pilate's wife?
- 📝 How many New Testament manuscripts do we really have?
- 📝 What is the doctrinal or Scriptural basis for a central Church authority?
- 📝 Is there a Catholic list of Old Testament sacraments?
- 📝 What does Matthew 5:27-30 ("Cast off your eye/hand/etc") mean?
- 📝 The fall was part of God's plan?
- 📝 Noun for a person who believes in ordinances?
- 📝 Do OT scriptures clearly indicate sacrifices will be replaced?
- 📝 How is the claim "lust is evil" shown to be true in Christianity without appealing to Divine Command Theory?
- 📝 What is the significance of position of fingers in Jesus' hand as shown in his images?
- 📝 Does Catholic doctrine teach that the Incarnation would have taken place regardless of Adam's decision?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Why have a photo of the bishop in the sacristy?
- 📝 Why did Jesus have to leave for the Holy Spirit to come?
- 📝 Why does the Messiah have to be God?
- 📝 Why does a beheaded saint have the halo above the stump?
- 📝 According to Reformed theology, why does God tell people to repent if they don't have the choice to do so, as in Exodus 10:3?
- 📝 Why did the Catholic Church decide to have a Bible?
- 📝 Why does Jesus have to be fully God and fully man? Is it not sufficient to be the son of God and fully man?
- 📝 Why did God not want man to have the knowledge of good and evil?
- 📝 If we will have free will and be sinless in Heaven at the same time, then why did God not create a world with sinless free creatures to begin with?
- 📝 Why are the men of Genesis so old? Were the dating systems just different? Are all of these old ages supposed to have symbolic meaning?
- 📝 Why is denial of the primacy of the bishop of Rome considered a Schism, not a Heresy?
- 📝 Why did Stephen have authority to ask God to forgive the sins of his nonbelieving executioners?
- 📝 Have Christians in communion with the Bishop of Rome been always in the majority since St. Peter?
- 📝 Why do adherents to the priesthood of all believers still have organized congregations?
- 📝 Why did John the Baptist exist? Did he have any purpose besides Baptizing Jesus?
- 📝 What does the Bible say about this question- Why do Jesus and God have two seats in heaven when they are the same God?
- 📝 Why did Moses have the sons of Levi run about with swords slaying family and friends?
- 📝 Why do Anglicans have the "give away" optional in Common Worship but obligatory in Anglican Book of Common Prayer?
- 📝 Why does the Catholic church have so many Masses throughout the week?
- 📝 According to the Church of England, if humans have free will, why do we ask for things in prayer?
- 📝 In Catholicism, why should Jesus have been murdered on the Cross instead of just dying of old age?
- 📝 Why do Popes have seven candlesticks on the altar at Mass?
- 📝 Why did the temple in Ezekiel have stairs leading up to the altar?
- 📝 Why have some conservative Reformed churches objected to the Belhar Confession?
- 📝 For those who deny the Immaculate Conception, why did Jesus not have original sin?
- 📝 Why did the Bishop of Rome accept (and retains until today) the title "Pontifex Maximus" and how were the rights and duties transferred/transformed?
- 📝 Why do women have inferior rights in the Bible?
- 📝 Why does the throne in Daniel 7:9 have wheels and are they literally wheels?
- 📝 Why shouldn't the UK have women bishops?
- 📝 What reasons does the Bible give for why the tribe of Levi was chosen to have the priesthood and temple duties?