The Succession of the Pope is a British drama film directed by Fernando Merrills and starring Jonathan Presson and Anthony Hopkins that aired online on Netflix. Based on a true story, George Bergoglio applied for retirement from Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 because he was disappointed with the Pope's instructions. Holy See's. Faced with scandal and self-doubt, Benedict XVI summoned his harshest critics and future successors to Rome. Inside the walls of the Vatican, he has a collision between tradition and openness, sin and forgiveness.
When it comes to religious news in recent years, the first thing that comes to mind is definitely the surprising decision of Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned in 2013 instead of returning to his original cardinal. He also held the office of the Holy See and retired directly. As the first pope in nearly 600 years not to resign due to death, breaking with years of voluntary appointments in the Catholic Church, although Benedict XVI ostensibly stated that he was not under pressure to abdicate because of his advanced age, whether there are other reasons behind this has always been the most curious place in the world.
The Succession of the Pope begins with the election of Benedict XVI as pope in 2005. It also focuses on the interaction between Benedict XVI and his successor Francis before his retirement, and finds Jonathan Preson and Anthony Hopkins, who are almost the same as Francis XVI himself, to play the main role, accompanied by the two major movie kings in the film. The two popes were at different extremes, with Francis as the main body. Whether the pope's election at that time was a competitor or opposing views and values made the question of the pope's succession spark a lot of collisions.
Personally, I greatly appreciate the fact that The Succession of the Pope combines the interpretation of religion and the context of good and evil, a true saint. It not only tells a story that ordinary people do not know and is extremely interested in, but also synthesizes the current international situation and the many social issues that we must pay attention to. I may not be a religious person myself, but I do have great respect for everything. But "papal succession" made me think about what religion means to people. What does it mean in the hearts of believers?
The collision of tradition and innovation, the first half of the film spends some time talking about the differences in conservative and reformist views within the Catholic Church. And noted that many people are actually disappointed by Benedict XVI's election as the new pope, so instead of describing the reasons behind Benedict XVI's retirement, "papal succession" is better than that. A change of mindset during several times together. The central theme it explores is what the Pope should be and what he should think about as the second highest office in the Catholic Church after God.
The central theme of The Succession of the Pope is that the Pope may not have the power he once had, but as the most influential person in the world, his every move, decision and everything has become the focus of attention. The Succession of the Pope mentions the scandals of the Catholic Church several times, including the theft of Gabriel, the steward of Benedict XVI. The church's past role in sheltering child-molesting pastors and its recent failure to reflect public opinion. I believe that all these references reflect the social responsibility of the Pope to protect the lives and rights of all people.
Everyone makes mistakes, but like Catholic confession and forgiveness, the focus is not on what sins we have committed. It is whether you can reflect on your own behavior and remedy your mistakes after the fact. Francis once said, "If everyone thinks they're right, then everybody is wrong." "。 I think whether it's the pope or the followers, whether it's conservatives or reformers, the most important thing is to keep an eye on all corners of society.