The Sovereign and Apostolic City of Geneva of the Holy Cross
From the Papal Throne of Saint Peter, The Papal Archbasilica of Saint Catherine of the Wheel
During the 11th year of the Papacy of his holliness Pope John Paul III of Geneva and Rome
Pope John Paul III was not a young man anymore and he knew it. On the verge of entering into his ninetieth year on Gods beautiful Earth the ageing pope knew that he only had so little time left before he would go to God. It was a thought that would have scared the pope in his youth but no longer. Death was only scary because man could not understand, had in fact not Christ himself shown doubt on the cross when he cried to Heaven for help. To the old pope this Christ's greatest sign of weakness was in fact what made him that much more magnificent. The frailty of Christ's human nature was the greatest gift he could have possibly given to humanity all too afraid of all too many things death first among them.
Also Savonarola had known dead and that in the most violent manner, the Pope thought as he, aided by one of his young pages, stepped out on the balcony overlooking the Saint Pierre's Square where close to a million thrinian catholics had gathered to celebrate the cannonization process. Savonarola had been brutally tortured into confessing crimes he was not guilty of. In John Paul III, once Nobu Grimaldi's, eyes that was not and could not ever be considered a sin. No Savonarola was a martyr and he was in Heaven. He had deserved to be recognised as a saint.
Raising an only slightly trembling hand the pope whispered "In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti." His words magniied through a microphone silencing the vast square upon which Savonarola's supporters had gathered. Changing to english, the language that together with french was the vernacular speech of the Holy See on such occassions, the pope began his short speech. "Praised be Jesus Christ our Saviour and Redeemer." The pope said this time more forcefully, he was not yet dead. "Dear brothers and sisters of the faith my God be with thee and with all of Christendom. May he smile down upon us and see our love and veneration for his holy work. We have gathered here today to celebrate the canonization of one of his greatests and most venerable of servants. Through his many predictions of events yet to come this great martyr has proven that he was indeed blessed by God. Through a lifetime of piety and humility, a life that ended all to soon with a brutal execution making his a martyr the blessed Girolamo Savonarola is indeed to be considered among the most sacred of the followers of of our lord and saviour."
The pope paused for a moment receiving encouraging cheers from Savonarola's supporters. "Hallelujah brothers and sisters. As the Vicar of Christ I hereby declare that the blessed Girolamo Savonarola is hence forth to be considered a saint and that this day, the day upon which he was made a martyr, shall be his feast day. May God bless Saint Girolamo and all of us. Amen." The pope made the sign of the cross before the crowd blessing them. A giant banner of Savonarola's counterfey was unveiled and a large choir on the square began chanting a hymn praising God to the thunderous applause of the crowds.
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