International
Queen’s coffin heads to Scottish palace, historic church
AFP
The Palace of Holyroodhouse and St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, where Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin will rest in the coming days, are both steeped in royal history — and anti-English sentiment.
Since the queen’s death aged 96 on Thursday, her body has remained at her Balmoral estate in northeast Scotland while her eldest son travelled to London to be formally proclaimed King Charles III.
On Sunday, the coffin will be taken by road to the 500-year-old Holyroodhouse palace, set against the dramatic backdrop of Arthur’s Seat, an ancient volcano that dominates Edinburgh’s sweeping Holyrood Park.
The palace has been used by Scottish and English monarchs for centuries, since James IV began construction on the site of the Holyrood (“holy cross”) abbey.
According to legend, the abbey was founded in 1128 by King David I after he saw a vision of a stag with a glowing cross between its antlers, which he took as a sign from God.
One of the palace’s most notable residents was Mary Queen of Scots. It was in her private apartments there that, in 1566, she witnessed the brutal murder of her secretary instigated by her jealous husband.
In 1633, Holyroodhouse was the site of the Scottish coronation of King Charles I, whose reign led to a civil war in which he was executed, and the palace was damaged and abandoned.
After a brief republic, his son returned as King Charles II in 1660 and renovated the palace.
Elizabeth was a regular visitor during her reign, holding an annual garden party attended by around 8,000 people, and in 2010 she received Pope Benedict XVI there during his UK visit.
Protestant roots
On Monday, the new king will accompany his mother’s coffin in procession along the Royal Mile to the magnificent St Giles’ Cathedral, where he will also hold a vigil.
Founded around 1124 as a Catholic parish church, St Giles’ has witnessed key moments in British history.
It was at the heart of the Reformation, with Protestant theologian John Knox installed as minister there in 1559, the year before Scotland officially threw off the Catholic Church.
In 1637, a riot erupted after a local woman threw a stool at the preacher in St Giles’ in protest at Charles I’s attempts to impose English Anglican worship on Presbyterian Scotland.
And in 1707, when England and Scotland were joined by the Act of Union, legend has it that the bells of St Giles’ rang out the tune to “Why should I be so sad on my wedding day?”, reflecting the opposition among many Scots to the move.
St Giles’ also houses the Thistle Chapel, home to Scotland’s highest chivalric order, the Order of the Thistle.
Elizabeth, as head of the order, was present when Charles was installed as a member in 1977.
It was also at St Giles’ that she was symbolically presented with the Honours of Scotland — a crown, sword and sceptre — at a service of thanksgiving for her coronation in 1953.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
International
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.
Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”
International
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.
The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”
The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”
Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.
The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
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