A dynamic piece that changes based on the time of day
Follow the undeath of pope Sacrum IX through his endless loop of solitude, prayer, and rest.
Loneliness ( 6 AM - 6 PM)
Mass (6 PM - 10 PM)
Rest (10 PM - 6 AM), when pope Sacrum finally rests and spends time with his trusty undead dog, Ulna.
INSIGHTS
I’ve been haunted by the image of a lonely skeleton in papal regalia for a while.
Probably the earliest stem of this mental image comes from reading about the Cadaver Synod: the trial of Pope Formosus, held 7 months after his death.
I’ve always been fascinated by positions like that of Popes - spiritual leaders of millions of people, but really confined to a mere semblance of life, isolated in palaces that feel like tombs.
Dead men walking.
The more I advance in life, the more I’m fascinated with skulls. We tend to find them initially repulsive, but there’s an unashamed joy and silliness to a death's head grin.
Like looking into an x-ray mirror that sheds away flesh, clothes, pretenses, ego.
It’s like the skull is saying “Don't take yourself so seriously. This is what you look like on the inside. Bare, fragile. Ridiculous grin.”
That grin is a memento mori - death is coming either way, might as well find and appreciate the beauty and silliness of it all.
That’s why I chose to let my Pope have moments of respite with his undead dog at night. Even skeleton men of the cloth deserve the warm presence of a canine fren. Even if it’s just bones and not much else.
One is the loneliest number, and Popes may be some of the loneliest people. So please, if you can, find some joy in observing Sacrum IX’s daily life, even in his moments of crushing solitude.
We’d all feel better knowing that someone watches and cares.
