When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
REFLECTION
“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Jesus told Simon, the son of Jonah, "And I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it". The chair also known as the Cathedra is the established seat of the Bishop of Rome. It commemorates Christ's choosing of Peter to sit as the head of the Universal Church.
The present chair is a wooden throne, believed to have been used by Saint Peter as Bishop of Rome. The oakwood throne was encased in bronze by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. His work was commissioned in 1673.
The throne itself is the symbol of the Bishop's authority and in particular, of his magisterium, the evangelical teaching which, as a successor of the Apostles, he is called to safeguard and to transmit to the Christian community.
While Jesus was still on earth He charged the apostles to tend His flock, willingly and eagerly, by being examples to the flock. The apostles were commissioned by Jesus to be good priests and spiritual shepherds of His flock. They were to serve each individual member of His flock and lead by example, instruction and not scandal.
Infallible pronouncements are called "ex cathedra" (Latin, "from the chair"). He does not have to sit in the chair but it is a symbol of the Papal authority and as successor of Peter to define teachings particular to faith and morals. When the Pope uses the full extent of his teaching authority it is referred to as him speaking "from the chair" of St Peter.
The Chair can be found at St Peter's Basilica at the eastern end of the Basilica or the apse of the Church.
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