Camera Phones & The Pope

While the Pope has been considered very media savy and was behind setting up of the Vatican Website, I don't think he would approve of people taking photographs on his final journey during the funeral. I noticed a lot of people taking photos with their camera phones, and thought it was a little much.

When asked why people are going to the Vatican, some reply saying that they just want to be there and be part of it, even if they never see the Pope or the funeral. Why people want to take photos with their relatively poor quality camera phones, doesn't make sense. There are plenty of good quality photos of the Pope that people can use to remember the Pope by. Just being there is enough for some people, and their memories of being there will be better than any photo captured on a camera phone.

So when I found this article on the BBC, I read it with interest. It noted that

"Taking pictures or filming a pope on his sick bed were banned and anyone taking pictures after death must have permission of the chamberlain and show the body only in pontifical vestments"

I think that this is a good thing because associating the Pope, who is God's highest representative on Earth with any gadgets suggest a tiny bit of tackyness, which I think is wrong. While I don't think anyone who took a photo with a camera or phone committed a sin. Far from it. They made the journey to the Vatican to pay their respects. What I do think, is that their presence there should have been enough and that there is no need to take photos.

While I never considered going to the Vatican to see the Pope, I would feel very uncomfortable taking a photo of him. It suggest to me that it is just something for our entertainment, like animals in a zoo.

Well, I'll let you make up your opinions on the subject, but I just wanted to highlight the article and the whole topic. Feel free to leave comments if you agree or disagree with me.