Pope Francis, left, and his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, have different approaches to running the Catholic Church. Reuters
Pope Francis, left, and his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, have different approaches to running the Catholic Church. Reuters
Pope Francis, left, and his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, have different approaches to running the Catholic Church. Reuters
Pope Francis, left, and his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, have different approaches to running the Catholic Church. Reuters

The battle for the soul of the Catholic Church will outlast the era of the two popes


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The Oscar-nominated film The Two Popes, which puts a spotlight on the historical anomaly of a pair of living pontiffs in Vatican City, has been a great hit for Netflix. Meticulous in detail, the film's producers built a replica of the magnificent and ornate Sistine Chapel, the official residence of the pope, after Vatican authorities refused access to film inside its walls.

But the attention to detail extends beyond the sets. The movie brilliantly recreates the momentous decision made by Pope Benedict XVI to abdicate in 2013 before eventually being succeeded by the comparatively more liberal Pope Francis. Benedict's move is depicted as a recognition that the church needed to shift itself to a path to openness. The fictional Benedict, played by Anthony Hopkins, is shown as a statesman resolved to accept this harsh reality – even if he has no taste for what must happen. As the Netflix drama makes clear, Pope Francis, whose character is portrayed by Jonathan Pryce, brings a very different perspective to the papacy.

The Argentine priest witnessed political turmoil in his home nation during the 1970s and 80s, and he saw that the powerful church could not rely on dogma alone to hold itself immune from the chaos enveloping his people. That experience has informed his leadership of Catholics and he has remained an outsider who defines himself in distinction to the powerful bureaucracy that governs his institution. As a result, the Curia, which is the central body through which the affairs of the church are conducted, has been horrified by the ideas set in motion by him.

Pope Francis' message of tolerance and bridge-building resonated with his audience in Abu Dhabi. EPA
Pope Francis' message of tolerance and bridge-building resonated with his audience in Abu Dhabi. EPA

Roman Catholics believe that in matters of belief, the pope provides infallible leadership. While much can be debated about the institution itself, the authority of the papacy remains absolute. That is why the existence of two popes creates such a frisson.

Benedict, who was bestowed the title of Pope Emeritus after his abdication, has largely lived in seclusion in a monastery in the Vatican for seven years while his successor provides the public face of the church. The first pope to resign since 1415 had, after all, pledged to remain “hidden from the world” in retirement.

Pope Francis, in contrast, has been a campaigning figure.

During the refugee crisis facing Europe from 2015, he stood strong for the desperate millions that sought to flee ISIS in Syria and Iraq. He invited a Syrian family to live in the Vatican and visited the frontline reception centres sheltering newcomers. He did not lend the church's prestige to nativist movements in Europe that sought to exploit the numbers fleeing. Just a year ago with his trip to the UAE, he arrived with a message of tolerance and bridge-building that found a ready audience in Abu Dhabi.

Pope Francis has also sought to reverse some of his predecessor’s more conservative reforms. It is clear, for instance, that one of his objectives is for women to play a bigger role in the church. And the powerful factions that were entrenched during Benedict’s rule have sought to slow down or stall many of his ideas.

Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce played Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, respectively, in the movie 'The Two Popes'. IMDb
Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce played Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, respectively, in the movie 'The Two Popes'. IMDb

Until the distribution of the Netflix drama, Benedict was missing from the fray. He made a brief appearance on stage to celebrate his 90th birthday in 2017. Much of the slow-moving fight for control of the direction of the church was taking place far behind the scenes. But life suddenly began to imitate art at the start of 2020.

First, the pope emeritus invited a Bavarian television channel to report on his routine in retirement. Like the Netflix movie postulated, he was shown enjoying traditional German cooking in his monastery rooms. Then a book, From the Depths of Our Hearts, was published. Reportedly jointly authored by Benedict, it directly took on the views of his successor. The old pope put his foot down over moves to abolish celibacy rules for clergy in the Amazon regions of South America and greater participation by women in church affairs. Some reports included a comment from Benedict that he "could not keep silent" in the face of divisions in the church.

The church, meanwhile, has tried to quell reports of discord and suggested that the book takes advantage of the increasingly frail Benedict. If true, however, the concurrent opinions held by the two men represent a grave challenge to an institution that showcases itself as united as well as universal. It also undercuts the Netflix idea that Benedict had moved with some grace to acknowledge that his personal inclinations were no longer fit for the times.

But it is important to note that, while he is ailing and increasingly at rest during the day, Benedict continues to be relevant because he is still alive. The conservative heavyweights in the church draw strength from a bipolar situation to resist the current incumbent. And once opened, these wounds can easily become deeper.

The wider issue is that Pope Francis is a revolutionary at the heart of Rome. But what is in question is the long-term legacy of the "two popes era". And this suggests the feud will long outlast both men.

Damien McElroy is the London bureau chief of The National

U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES

UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh

UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith

Results:

Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Pathaan
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No Shame

Lily Allen

(Parlophone)

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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SPECS
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The bio

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France

Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines

Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.

Favourite Author: My father for sure

Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BOSH!'s pantry essentials

Nutritional yeast

This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.

Seeds

"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."

Umami flavours

"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".

Onions and garlic

"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."

Your grain of choice

Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."

The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera

Price, base: Dh1.2 million

Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm

Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm

Fuel economy, combined:  12.3L / 100km (estimate)

UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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