Papal Mass of the Proclamation of the Assumption

I really like this picture. There are certain truths that only images can capture-- words can only do so much, and are limited to the scope of truthfulness they possess. The icon, the image, however, reveals this truth as it has always been. If we want to know what it means to be Catholic, the life of the Church-- Her ceremonies, liturgies, and mystery-- should be our starting point. From Msgr. Pierre Pfister, the French canon at the Lateran Basilica:

"On this morning of the extraordinary All Saints' Day of 1950, it was quite impossible to move in the crowd of more than half a million. The majority chose to watch the rite of the definition of the dogma outside the basilica. Those who filled the interior were able to hear the Pope's voice through loud-speakers, and, in this setting, as thrilling as it was awe-inspiring, they could watch his processional entry and the Mass in which the new text was followed for the first time. It is the supreme moment of the Consecration. All are kneeling, and the Noble and Swiss Guards are giving a military salute."