A King Remembered

Otherwise known as King Chulalongkorn, today, Thursday 23rd October, is a holiday in Thailand to remember Rama V who was king of the then Siam from 1868 until 1910.  History remembers him as a great king and maybe history is coloured but I tend to agree with history.  He was one of the great kings of this country. 

He led his people into the 20th century, overseeing reforms and the building up of a new state.  He had a vision for his then kingdom.  He knew that to stay independent and to be strong, this country needed to modernise and modernise it, he did, and brought it into the 20th century as best he could. 

As king, he is remembered as a father to his people and to this day he is remembered with fondness and revered by them.  As a Catholic, I now have good Pope Francis to look up to.  If I was a Thai and a Buddhist, I would be looking up to a King Chulalongkorn in much the same way. 

As I sit in my apartment, I can see my photo of Rama V on my fridge door.  He is there standing proudly, dressed in his immaculately tailored military uniform, showing off his decorations of honour.   His ceremonial cape looks not just stylish but wealthy.  His stance exhibits a certain arrogance.  The picture shows him to be a handsome man, a strong man. 

Maybe I keep this picture in a prominent place as it is an image that tells me something about the history of where I live.  It tells me of the pride it holds and that despite all the difficulties faced here, its people come from somewhere noble, somewhere to be treasured.  Is that not the same for all of us?  I think this in the very week that Gough Whitlam, ex-PM of Australia, died; in the very week that Paul VI was beatified and Francis so skilfully led us in Synod. 

Long live the King!  Viva il Papa!