Papal resignation

[Jim Eshelman]

(2013)

This morning, the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict XVI will resign on February 28. This rare incident is presently presumed to be related to his age and health, but I haven't yet seen a confirmation of this.

The Capsolar for the Vatican has Pluto within a degree of the IC. This, by itself, is insufficient for the event, because this Pluto is going to recur on Capsolar angles for the Vatican more or less every year for decades. - In this case, it is joined by a nearby Venus-Uranus square with the Pluto.

The new (February 8) Caplunar for the Vatican has the extraordinary mark of Jupiter in partile conjunction with the Ascendant (15' mundo). At present, my thoughts on this are to wonder what great ceremonial events will occur. For example, I haven't heard yet how soon the College of Cardinals will be convened to select a new pope - it seems unlikely to me that this would all occur in the next four weeks. Or is his health failing so rapidly that a papal funeral is in the offing? One wonders, in that case, why he would resign.

The Jupiter is closely squared by Mercury and Mars, and both technically make it within orb of the Zenith. Normally, this configuration would be good for business, perhaps pushing the ledger a little hard and celebrating harder, generally a good business deal. (And, though static aspects don't usually have a voice in lunar returns or ingresses, it's worth noticing that the Jupiter is also in a tight trine-sextile relationship with Venus and Uranus.) I don't have a basis for knowing what these astrological conditions are likely to mean for the Vatican.

Today's Capsolar quotidian for the Vatican has nothing on the angles. That for February 28 has Saturn near, but not quite at, the Ascendant. Today's primary aspect is a Venus-Saturn square.

By the 28th, a Canlunar will be in effect. For the Vatican, it has a stationary Mercury in partile conjunction with the Midheaven and Pluto about 2 degrees above the horizon (or 20' away eclipto, but I don't think that's the right measurement). Mars is also more widely foreground. Basically, it's a Mercury-Pluto event. A public event seems likely, therefore - news media meets separation event, with some element of confession or public oath taking, perhaps.

[Jim Eshelman]

I beleive we should use this as the official chart of the mundane astrological event of the resignation of the Pope. It is the minute his resignation is official, 8:00 PM on February 28, in the Vatican.

The chart speaks for itself.



I am especially untrighed by a background pattern. I think it worth mentioning and it may even serve as a basis for future understanding of 'background functioning. The aspect is the partile Venus-Neptune conjunction which squares Jupiter. Notice that the mundane square is exact, which you can suspect from the proximity of all of them to the cadent cusps. They are in the immediate background, as if to say that religious devotion and ceremony and ardor are important in the sense of their suppression. The mundoscope positions are:

Neptune 29°11'
Venus 29°16'
Jupiter 0°52'

[Jim Eshelman]

A new pope has been chosen. Details to follow. CNN broke the "white smoke" news at 11:11 AM PDT, so it probably happened a minute or two earlier.

At that moment, in Rome, Mnars was just below the Descendant, and Uranus was almost exactly angular (Pluto being more widely in the lower foregorund). The Moon is in Pisces for the selection of the new Chief Fisherman, the latest successor of St. Peter.

The angles are nearly identical to those for Benedict's stepping down.

[Jim Eshelman]

Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina has been elected the next pope. He is the first non-European pope in about 1,000 years. He has taken the name Francis.

Now the hunt for birth data begins! (It's usually available pretty fast.)

The date and place are known: 17 December, 1936, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Sun in Sagittarius. Moon in Capricorn (possibly conjunct Venus), Mars in Virgo.

The Sun is conjunct the Galanctic Center, and has no close aspects. He has a close Venus-Uranus square (probably involving the Moon on the Venus end).

The newer (minor) planets play a role in his natal: Sedna (which today is sextile the Sun in space) is in partile opposition to his Mars. Eris is exactly squae his Jupiter.

Transiting Pluto conjoins his Mercury. Venus transits opposite his Neptune.

[Jim Eshelman]

(March 14, 2013)

Pope Benedict's resignation became effective with 10° Virgo rising.

White smoke announced Pope Francis' selection when 10°Virgo was rising.

And the current (March 7) Caplunar for the Vatican has 9° Virgo rising.

All of this, of course, occurs with Uranus at 12° Pisces. Change is afoot.

Oh, and the current Capsolar has 14° rising, with Uranus at 10° Pisces, Venus at 12° Sagittarius, and Pluto at 15° Sagittarius.

The Capsolar had a non-angular Moon-Jupiter square, only 5' wide, at 11°45' to 11°49' Aquarius-Taurus. At the time white smoke bellowed up the Vatican chimney, that Capsolar quotidian MC was 11°25' Leo, exactly activating the Moon-Jupiter square for the selection of a world pontiff. At the same time, t. Jupiter at 14°14' Taurus was exactly on the quotidian Westpoint, which was 14°50' Taurus. The Capsolar Moon had progressed to 13°54' Aquarius, within a degree of square that Jupiter.

I suppose since the act was a vote and a symbolic press release, t. Mercury was at 11°34' Aquarius, tied directly into the Capsolar pattern.

[Jim Eshelman]

Jim wrote:

The Capsolar had a non-angular Moon-Jupiter square, only 5' wide, at 11°45' to 11°49' Aquarius-Taurus. At the time white smoke bellowed up the Vatican chimney, that Capsolar quotidian MC was 11°25' Leo, exactly activating the Moon-Jupiter square for the selection of a world pontiff.

Again we see excellent timing symbolism with with the progressed MC with quotidians charts. Thanks for posting Jim.