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Research Questions
Mar. 24th, 2008 09:25 pmThis post is more of a challenge than anything else. I've been working on a story for some time about a priest who flees Paris during the French Revolution and settles in New Orleans, and through a very long and convoluted series of events, ends up being secretly a saint and a vampire hunter. My questions, thrown out to the community, because I am too lazy to look this stuff up myself:
1. How is holy water made? Who makes it? Where (or is location important)?
2. What is the process for somebody being declared a saint? Is there an official list of saints? If so, where is it kept? Can a person be taken off this list?
3. What is the Church's attitude towards homosexuality?
4. How would the Church handle a priest who killed a colleague or superior, in a fit of rage or self-defense? Or does motive matter?
5. Has the Vatican ever maintained assassins (NO CONSPIRACY THEORIES OR DAN BROWN FANS, PLEASE)?
6. Whose job is it to consecrate a church? How long does it stay consecrated? How can it be de-consecrated?
7. How long must someone stay in the seminary to complete his training for the priesthood? Is there a minimum age for certain positions (pope, cardinal, regular priest, etc.)?
8. What is the exact structure of power, from the pope down?
9. Is there an official post to handle insurgents and turncoats? If so, what is it, and where is it based? How much power does it have?
10. Fact or myth: within the Vatican, the pope has *absolute* power and can order torture, public executions, or detention for an indefinite period of time with reason.
I realize that there are probably very few experts in the workings of the late 18th century Catholic Church reading this, so even modern information will be helpful.
1. How is holy water made? Who makes it? Where (or is location important)?
2. What is the process for somebody being declared a saint? Is there an official list of saints? If so, where is it kept? Can a person be taken off this list?
3. What is the Church's attitude towards homosexuality?
4. How would the Church handle a priest who killed a colleague or superior, in a fit of rage or self-defense? Or does motive matter?
5. Has the Vatican ever maintained assassins (NO CONSPIRACY THEORIES OR DAN BROWN FANS, PLEASE)?
6. Whose job is it to consecrate a church? How long does it stay consecrated? How can it be de-consecrated?
7. How long must someone stay in the seminary to complete his training for the priesthood? Is there a minimum age for certain positions (pope, cardinal, regular priest, etc.)?
8. What is the exact structure of power, from the pope down?
9. Is there an official post to handle insurgents and turncoats? If so, what is it, and where is it based? How much power does it have?
10. Fact or myth: within the Vatican, the pope has *absolute* power and can order torture, public executions, or detention for an indefinite period of time with reason.
I realize that there are probably very few experts in the workings of the late 18th century Catholic Church reading this, so even modern information will be helpful.
