One year Pope Francis and 20 degree Libra

One year ago, on March 13, 2013 Pope Francis was elected to be the new pope. From the start he showed to be modest, friendly and caring, as if he wants to impersonate the principle of Cancer Ascendant (doing it, keeping it simple). The Sagittarius Sun and Aquarian Moon contribute to the helicopter view needed in his position as a leader (Sun is 'calling'!) in a modern world. But the most important position in his chart is for Mars.

His Mars is important in 3 ways:
1. Mars rises before the Sun,
2. Mars doesn't make major aspects in sign or orb 5 degrees (Mars 'calls' )
3. Mars is square the midpoint Sun/Moon. It means that he 'goes for it', and is motivated by action and being active.

You could expect an athlete with such a Mars, but as Mars is in the 20th degree of Libra, his work includes books, libraries and studies. The Sabian symbol of the 20th degree of Libra speaks of a Rabbi (a man of God) surrounded by books and manuscripts. The activities of Pope Francis are of an intellectual and spiritual order, even though he loves football and he supports the San Lorenzo de Almagro football club. Pope Francis is a Jesuit (the most intellectual order in the Roman Catholic Church). On March 11 1958 he joined the order, rejecting his love for a girl (progressed chart Venus inconjunct Ascendant…for giving up on a love relationship), with transit Saturn on his Sun (as a symbol of a period ending and facing responsibilities).  Watch that progressed chart, with Mars in a key position with Mercury, Pluto and the Ascendant. It was 56 years ago.

Today, his transits and progressions are reflecting his extraordinary popularity by means of the Moon. The progressed MC is inconjunct Moon and the progressed Moon is now inconjunct Midheaven. Also transit Jupiter conjunct progressed MC and inconjunct progressed Moon helps to be supported. It is a good start, but will it last?

Look at the future transits and progressions.

- Transit Pholus (important in the natal chart, sitting on the Descendant) is getting closer to his natal Sun, reaching a point of no return, while
- transit Uranus is getting closer to a square with Progressed MC (upheaval).
- Saturn will hit his Mercury, Venus and Mars (making it all harder),
- there will be a progressed Mercury-Mars square (for discussions) and
- in the progressed chart Mars will be inconjunct Venus to signal losing balance with passions (not necessarily sexual or love related, more like if an overdose of passion and loving fire ceases a bit).
In the progressed chart Midheaven is opposition Pholus (turning point at home - in Rome) and transit Eris was recently on his progressed Descendant (discord on the horizon).

Luckily for him, there will still be support. Jupiter will reach the progressed MC, trine the progressed Sun and enter the progressed 10th public house and the natal first.

One of the characteristics of Pope Francis, in my opinion, is the capacity of mingling the rules and practice, not fighting the status quo, without becoming one of 'them' in the eyes of the people and still being the catalyst (Pholus opposite Ascendant) of changes. How does that show in his chart? Perhaps in the Moon and Venus in the 7th house of relationships in the friendly Aquarius explains? A need to be kind and keep the friendly peace? Feeling love for all others,  in an Aquarian way (for the community of men)? And all the while creatively (quintile) achieving success through perseverance (Jupiter-Saturn)?

Anyway, I think that the importance of Mars in the 20th degree of Libra explains a lot of the importance of living like a monk or priest. According to Janduz, this is the degree of the religious mind. She described this degree like this: the sun setting and shining into a hallway in a convent where a monk (holding a book in his hands) is reaching a small altar with an incensory.
That picture looks like that of an old rabbi, sitting in a room with books, doesn't it?

How do you see the Sabian degree of your most important planet?
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PS
I promised to pay more attention to 'out of bounds'. In Pope Francis' chart, Mercury is out of bounds. Mercury is in the 12 degree of Capricorn ('Miracles of nature scientifically painted'). This is a degree of cosmography (and training dogs, as it seems:). I like the out of bounds (unusual) rather unearthly degree for this pope's opinions.

LINKS
http://astrologycritics.com/sabian-symbols-in-astrology.html/7

German politician Klaus Kinkel was born on the same day: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Kinkel
Activist and author Frank Martinus, too: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Martinus_Arion
They may not have the same Sun/Moon midpoint (with Mars) so that maybe the Sun is more important than Mars (and an other Sabian symbol), but they share the 20th degree of Libra for Mars in some way.


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