Papal MC explains the papal liturgy

NLM has some text from an Interview with Msgr. Guido Marini, the Papal MC who took over from his homonymous predecessor recently. The interview gives some thoughtful background to the beautiful photographs that have been circulating the Catholic blogosphere recently. At this blog, we were particularly moved to read the following extract:

Let's get back to the symbolic aspects. What vestments will the Pope wear?

Above all, it must be underscored that the vestments chosen, like some details of the rites themselves, are meant to underscore the continuity of the present liturgy with that which characterized the traditional liturgy of the Church.

The hermeneutic of continuity is always the right criterion for interpreting the course of the Church in time. This goes for the liturgy as well.

Just as a Pope cites his predecessors in his documents, to show the continuity of the magisterium, a Pope also does the same in the liturgical sense when he uses the vestments and sacred accessories that previous Popes have used, to indicate the same continuity in the lex orandi.

Thus during the Christmas season liturgies, Pope Benedict XVI will be wearing miters that belonged to Benedict XVI, John XXIII, John Paul I and John Paul II.

Marini also has something important to say about the crucifix that many bloggers have noticed placed centrally on the altar when the Holy Father says Mass:

The Crucifix on the altar indicates the centrality of the Cross in the eucharistic celebration, which is the precise orientation that the congregation is called on to have during the liturgy. We do not look at each other - we look at Him who was born, died and resurrected for us, the Savior.

Let's get that in big letters, stamped and burnt into our consciousness:

[during the Liturgy]
We do not look at each other -
we look at Him who was born, died
and resurrected for us,
the Saviour

Remember - this applies to every celebration of the Mass - old rite or new rite.