AN ONLINE EXHIBIT: The Funeral of Pope John Paul II
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
The funeral of Pope John Paul II was held on 8 April 2005, six days after his death on 2 April. The funeral was followed by the novemdiales devotional in which the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches observe nine days of mourning.
On 22 February 1996, Pope John Paul II introduced revisions to the centuries-old ceremonies surrounding papal death, repose and burial. The revisions enacted through the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis applied to his own funeral.
Pope John Paul's funeral brought together what was, at the time, the single largest gathering in history of heads of state outside the United Nations, surpassing the funeral of Winston Churchill (1965). Four kings, five queens, at least 70 presidents and prime ministers, and more than 14 leaders of other religions attended, alongside the faithful. It is likely to have been one of the largest single gathering of Christianity in history, with numbers estimated in excess of four million mourners gathering in Rome.
Coinciding with the funeral in Vatican City, archbishops and bishops at cathedrals throughout the world celebrated memorial Masses. In an historical rarity, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox leaders, as well as representatives and heads from Judaism, Islam and Buddhism, offered their own memorials and prayers as a way of sympathising with the grief of Roman Catholics.
At the funeral itself, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I was in the honorary first seat in the sector reserved for delegations from churches not in full communion with the Holy See; this was the first time an Ecumenical Patriarch attended a papal funeral since the Great Schism. The Archbishop of Canterbury (then Rowan Williams), was also present at the papal funeral, the first time since the Church of England broke with the Catholic Church in the 16th century. Also for the first time ever, the head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Patriarch Abune Paulos attended a papal funeral.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Armando Arorizo is a freelance photojournalist with over 18 years of experience. His talent has been put to use covering several high-profile international events such as the Olympic Swimming Trials, President Barack Obama’s inauguration, the funerals of President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, May Day Celebrations in Cuba, the Academy Awards, the Grammys, the Golden Globes, the South Africa World Cup, the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Finals, and many more.
His commercial and portrait clients include the Los Angeles Clippers, Arista Records, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Metropolitan Water District, MTA of Los Angeles, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the California Community Foundation, O’Melveny and Myers, and several other organizations.
He is active in supporting the growth of photography by teaching at a city-funded program for Inner city kids “Imagenes” in Los Angeles. His previous works are currently on exhibit at the Office of the Mayor – City Hall, Los Angeles, and “At Work” The Art of California Labor at the Pico House Gallery, Los Angeles. Armando’s work has appeared in various publications domestic and international, which include Vogue Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, La Opinión, the Dallas Morning News, the Honolulu Advertiser, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune among many others.
He is currently a contract photographer with the Prensa Internacional and Agencia EFE News.
He is also the owner of the Perfect Exposure, a fine art Curatorial Services black-and-white photography service, lab, and studio and director of the Perfect Exposure Gallery, which exhibits work from award-winning photographers, each based in Los Angeles, California.
ABOUT THE GALLERY
The Perfect Exposure Gallery is the recognized venue in Southern California to display the work of award winning and accomplished photojournalists as well as works of photographers that regard artistry and craftsmanship as a standard of excellence. The mission of the Perfect Exposure Gallery is to present exhibits free of charge to the general public with the following goals to exemplify the rich variety and impact of photography, freedom of expression, a forum for the aesthetic, the contemptible and the sublime.
Exhibition dates: Friday 8, April 2016 to Monday 18, April 2016
