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One chair will stand out at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 25, and it won’t be for its elaborate, flashy nature.
Don’t let that fool you, though. It’s the most important seat in the house.
Pope Francis will use a simple oak chair with a plain, white cushioned seat and armrests during the Papal Mass he celebrates at the World’s Most Famous Arena. The chair was constructed by immigrant day laborers in Port Chester working with Salesian Brother Salvatore Sammarco.
During the unveiling of the finished papal chair, Cardinal Dolan explained why it’s so important to Catholics, noting that it represents “unity” and “teaching authority.”
“The man who occupies the Chair of St. Peter is the Holy Father, the pope, the Bishop of Rome,” the cardinal said, adding, “Wherever he goes, you want to have an important chair.”
The chair’s nature is a good reflection of “Pope Francis’ emphasis on simplicity and humility,” the cardinal said.
It will fit nicely with the Mass for Peace and Justice to be celebrated by the pontiff.
During the New York leg of his U.S. visit, Pope Francis wanted to be in the presence of his people and to pray with them, the cardinal said.
“That’s going to come together here at Madison Square Garden,” he explained. “He’s going to be able to celebrate the greatest prayer that we as Catholics have, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and he’s going to be able to see over 20,000 people from all of our parishes and all of the works and ministries that we are so proud of and are so grateful for here in the Archdiocese of New York.”
The prayers and texts of the Mass will focus on peace and justice and were purposely selected to fit those themes, said Father Matthew Ernest, professor of liturgy at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, who led the liturgical preparations for the Mass.
“It’s been a real privilege,” said Father Ernest of his work.
The details of the Mass have been subject to meticulous planning. For instance, Pope Francis will be wearing green vestments. That color is one that symbolizes growth and hope.
The Holy Father will also carry the pastoral staff used by Blessed Pope Paul VI during his apostolic visit to New York in 1965, when he became the first pontiff to visit the United States. In this way, Pope Francis will pay homage to the grand history of papal visits.
Readings will be in English and Spanish, with prayers in Gaelic, Polish, German, Tigrinya and Italian. Each text reflects the Holy Father’s concern for the poor and marginalized and also represents the Universal Church.
For logistical reasons, more than 200 permanent deacons and 150 volunteers will assist with the distribution of Communion.
This is not Madison Square Garden’s first time hosting a papal event. On Oct. 3, 1979, St. John Paul II addressed the arena, which was filled with enthusiastic youths during his first journey to the United States. The visit took place in the second year of his long pontificate.
The Holy Father was greeted with a roar from the youth faithful chanting the now-famous phrase, “John Paul II, We Love You!”
With a nod to his surroundings, the pontiff opened his address by saying, “Today this is a garden of life, where young people are alive; alive with hope and love, alive with the life of Christ. And it is in the name of Christ that I greet each of you today.”
Joel Fisher, executive vice president of Madison Square Garden Properties, speaking at the press conference Sept. 2, said, “We could not be more thrilled to host Pope Francis on Sept. 25. Having the Holy Father lead 20,000 parishioners in a special Mass will—I’m sure, we are all sure—go down as one of the top moments in Madison Square Garden’s history.”
Instead of the screams of Rangers or Knicks fans, the Garden will be filled with the joy-filled sounds of “Christus Vincit,” “O Radiant Light,” “Hallelujah” and “Now Thank We All Our God.” A choir of 125 people and an orchestra of 40 will provide the music.
Dr. Jennifer Pascual, director of music at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, who played a key role in selecting the music for the Mass, said, “Most of the selections are congregational so that the entire assembly could sing.”
The cardinal said, “It’s going to be a joyful occasion, it’s going to be filled with enthusiasm and exuberance. But it’s also going to be a very prayerful, reverential occasion for at least an hour and a half when the eyes of the world are on this space that is usually known for entertainment and sporting events. It will now be known as a center for one of the most spiritually meaningful things we as creatures can do—worship our Creator.”
The cardinal said the most important thing Pope Francis would want is that “once he begins Mass, the attention is on God.”
