Vatican City (Fides Service) – Instituted on June 13 this year, at the Pontifical Lateran University a new Gloria Crucis Cathedra will be officially inaugurated tomorrow 30 October is the framework of a Study Seminar promoted by the Generalate of the Passionist Fathers “Memoria Passionis in Stanislas Breton. Passionist on his 90th birthday”. The congregation of the Passionist Fathers draws inspiration for its life and apostolate the Passion of Jesus and therefore, by promoting the institution of this Chair at the Pontifical Lateran University, it offers the possibility of scientific study on the Passion of Jesus and on human suffering, increasing awareness of the deep significance of both for every huamn person and for the life of the world.
The title ‘Gloria Crucis’ refers to the essential theme of the faith concerning the manifestation of God through the Cross and access to God by creatures through the Cross. In the theological development of the early Church the scandal of the cross is overcome by theological reflection, especially in the Gospel of Saint John which considers the Cross as the glorification of God and the ascent of Jesus to his glory and the beginning of his reign of glory.
The Chair is neither a Faculty nor an Institute. It is an operative interdisciplinary structure, a reference for various Lateran University faculties or affiliated faculties, it organizes cycles of lessons, seminars, conferences, exhibitions and congresses in keeping with the finalities of the Chair, it is a centre of documentation on the Passion of Christ and supports initiatives on the spirituality of the Passion. Proposed activities can be useful for valid integration with Christological and theological studies in general. The director of the Chair is Father Fernando Taccone, c.p., docent at the Pastoral Institute Redemptor Hominis (Lateran University), it has a scientific committee and is responsible for the La Sapienza della Croce magazine. (S.L.) (Fides Service 29/10/2003 – lines 21; words 286)