A week before the announcement that he would lead the Lenten spiritual exercises for Roman cardinals, heads of dicasteries and the Pope, Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim wrote about herring on his popular blog Coram Fratribus.

“The poor herring was long associated with Lenten penance,” Varden essayed. “A sixteenth century poem ends a description of Ash Wednesday by bemoaning the profusion of ‘Herrings, herrings, stincking herrings’. Could this be the deeper cause of the Reformation?”

The prefecture of the papal household announced on 4 February that Varden will lead the exercises this year under the theme “Illuminated by a Hidden Glory”. A glance at his website would have reassured any curial types unfamiliar with his work that they’re in for an interesting retreat between 22 and 27 February. They must also be relieved that they’ll be contemplating the underrated Michelangelo frescoes in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace rather than Marko Rupnik’s art in the Mater Redemptoris Chapel that used to host the retreats.

Paul VI made a retreat a Lenten fixture for the papal household and broke the Jesuit monopoly on the preaching slot. It became a portentous gig: Karol Wojtyła and Joseph Ratzinger both preached to their predecessors, while Pope Francis gave red hats to a couple of those he invited to speak. Wary of his own experience that preachers became papabile, Benedict XVI only asked retired prelates.

Get Instant Access

Continue Reading

Register for free to read this article in full

REGISTER

Subscribe for unlimited access

SUBSCRIBE NOW

From just £37.50 quarterly

  Print copy of The Tablet delivered directly to your door.
  Complete access to all Tablet website content including all premium content.
  Access to the weekly digital copy of The Tablet.
  Full access to The Tablet’s archive – over 180 years of back issues.

Already a subscriber? Login