This past weekend a profound moment in the history of the world and the Catholic Church happened. Many of us Americans had more important things to worry about from the economy, to Women's World Cup soccer, to baseball games. Nevertheless, a moment of great importance took place. To what do I refer? The funeral of Otto Von Habsburg. "Who was Otto?" an every day run of mill the modern American might ask? Among other things he was " Archduke of Austria, Crown Prince of Austro-Hungary, Royal Prince of Hungary and Bohemia, of Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Galicia, Lodomeria and Illyria." In short, he was the last pretender to the throne of the Austrio-Hungarian Empire, which has been defunct since the First World War. That's right, the one Our Blessed Mother warnned about at Fatima, Portugal.
This is the end of an era. Nevertheless, there are some great moments to be be seen from the funeral of the Archduke. Take for example the beginning of the ceremony:
What is happening here is described here:
The Master of Ceremonies knocks three times
Capuchin: "Who is there?"
Master of Ceremonies: "Otto of Austria,First Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary, Imperial Prince of Hungary and Bohemia, of Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Galicia, Londomeria and Illyria, Grand Duke of Toskana and Krakow, Duke of Lothringia, of Salzburg, Steria, Carinthia, Craina and the Bokowina, Grand Prince of Siebenburgen,
Count of Mähren, Duke of Upper and Lower Silesia, of Modena, Parma, Piacenza and
Guastalla, of Auschwitz and Zator, of Teschen, Friali, Ragusa, Zara, princely Count von Habsurg of Tirol, of Kyburg, Gorz and Gradisca, Prince of Trent and Brixen,
Count of Upper and Lower Lausitz and Istria, Count of Hoehenms, Feldkirch, Bregenz, Sonnenberg etc., Lord of Triest, of Cattaro and of the Windischen Mark,
Grand Voyod of the Voyodship of Serbia, etc., etc."
Capuchin: "We do not know him!"
MC knocks three times
Capuchin: "Who is there?"
Master of Ceremonies: "Dr. Otto von Habsburg, President and Honorary President of the Pan European Union, Member and Late President of the European Parliament, Honorary Doctor of numerous Universities and Honorary Citizen of many Societies in Central Europe, Member of honorable Academies and Institutes, Bearer of high and highest State and Church awards, orders and honors, which were bestowed upon him in recognition of his decades long fight for the freedom of peoples, for law and justice."
Capuchin: "We do not know him!“
MC knocks three times
Capuchin: "Who is there?"
Master of Ceremonies: "Otto -- a mortal and sinful man!"
Capuchin: "Come in."
That is pretty awesome you have to admit. Why? It is not our earthly achievements or titles that mean a thing in the life to come. It is merely our humble repentance before the Divine Majesty of Christ that allows for our entrance into the Church - our gateway into heaven. This is a beautiful example of the Church's wisdom in teaching us how to enter into eternity.
Sadly, it also leaves a definitive gap between the once Catholic Austro-Hungarian empire and the secular state of Austria. This funeral took place in St. Stephensdom (the Cathedral) in Vienna, where the Imperial crypt is housed. It has been the practice of the Emperors to have their hearts removed and buried next to them. However, His Royal Imperial Highness had his heart placed in Hungary. It is said this was because he spent time there while in exile and being educated by Benedictine Monks there.
In days gone by, the Emperor and Kings were meant to embody the people and to act on their behalf. While there were some who weren't so good, there were a good many that demonstrated for their people the need to follow Christ, the King of kings. In the United States, we don't have this tradition because our culture is based on rejecting the authority of a King, namely King George III of England. Nevertheless, to once Catholic Europe, the potential of a king or emperor was that they would be a holy and wise person whose service was seen as a regency for Christ. In fact, it could be argued that in America it was the influence of the Freemasonic tenet of not allowing men to have authority over others that caused the establishment of America as a Constitutional Republic to begin with.
At any rate, it was a historical moment for the Church since the last actual Emperor of Austria was not allowed to be buried in their ancestral tomb in Vienna, since he died in exile. This funeral allowed for the family to return to its imperial crypt and the centrality of the Catholic Faith to be restored, even if only momentarily, as the rightful cultural basis for the Austrian people. I leave you then with this lovely rendition of the Salve Regina as sung at the Archduke's funeral, Requiescat in Pace!
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