Manda a Petro​—Kodi Ali mu Vatican?

“MANDA a Kalonga wa Atumwi apezedwa.” Chilengezo chachipambano chimenecho cha Papa Pius XII chinaperekedwa pa wailesi ya Vatican. Kunali kumapeto kwa 1950, ndipo ntchito yovuta yofukula m’mabwinja pansi pa Tchalitchi cha St. Peter inali itangomalizidwa kumene. Malinga ndi kunena kwa ena, zopeza za kufufuza za m’mabwinja kumeneku zinatsimikizira kuti Petro anakwiriridwadi mu Vatican. Komabe, saliyense anavomereza zimenezo.

Kwa Akatolika, Tchalitchi cha St. Peter mu Vatican chili ndi kufunika kwapadera. “Chifuno chachikulu cha ulendo wachipembedzo wopita ku Roma ndicho kukaonana ndi woloŵa m’malo wa Petro ndi kulandira dalitso lake,” likutero buku lolangiza Lachikatolika, “chifukwa chakuti Petro anadza ku Roma ndipo anakwiriridwa kumeneko.” Kodi Petro anakwiriridwa mu Roma? Kodi manda ake ali mu Vatican? Kodi mafupa ake anapezedwa?

Chozizwitsa cha Zofukula m’Mabwinja

Kufukula m’mabwinja, kumene kunayamba cha mu 1940 ndi kutenga zaka pafupifupi khumi, kwakhala nkhani ya mkangano waukulu. Kodi openda za m’mabwinja osankhidwa ndi papayo anapezanji? Choyamba, anapeza malo a manda achikunja okhala ndi manda ochuluka. Pakati pa iwo, pansi pa guwa laupapa lamakono, anapeza kakachisi, ndiko kanyumba koumbidwira kukhalamo chifanizo kapena fano, koikidwa m’chipupa chopakidwa utoto wofiira ndipo kochingidwa ndi zipupa zam’mbali ziŵiri. Chomalizira, ndipo chozizwitsa kwenikweni, anapeza mafupa a munthu, amene kunanenedwa kuti anachokera m’chimodzi cha zipupa ziŵiri zam’mbalizo.

Pamenepa mpamene panachokera mafotokozedwe osiyanasiyana. Malinga ndi kunena kwa akatswiri Achikatolika, zotumbidwazo zimatsimikizira chikhulupiriro chamwambo chakuti Petro anakhala ndi kufera chikhulupiriro mu Roma mkati mwa ulamuliro wa Nero, mwinamwake mkati mwa chizunzo cha mu 64 C.E. Kwanenedwadi kuti mafupawo ali zotsala za mtumwiyo ndipo akhoza kudziŵidwa kukhaladi iwo mwa mawu ozokotedwa amene, malinga ndi kunena kwa mafotokozedwe ena, amati “Petro ali pano.” Kukuoneka kuti Papa Paul VI anali kuvomereza mafotokozedwe ameneŵa pamene analengeza mu 1968 za kutumbidwa kwa “mafupa a Petro woyera mtima, amene amafunikira kupembedza kwathu konse ndi ulemu.”

Komabe, limodzi ndi mafotokozedwe amenewo, panalinso mawu otsutsa. Wopenda za m’mabwinja Wachikatolika Antonio Ferrua, Mjesuit yemwe anachitako ntchito yofukula m’mabwinjayo mu Vatican, ananena motsimikiza kangapo konse kuti iye ‘sanaloledwe kufalitsa’ zonse zimene amadziŵa pankhaniyo, zinthu zimene mwachionekere zikanatsutsa zonenazo zakuti mafupa a Petro anapezedwa. Kuwonjezerapo, buku lolangiza ku Roma, lokonzedwa ndi Kadinala Wachikatolika Poupard ndi kufalitsidwa mu 1991, linanena kuti “kufufuza kwasayansi kwa mafupa a munthu opezedwa pansi pa maziko a Chipupa Chofiira sanaonekere kukhala osonyeza chilichonse chokhudza mtumwi Petro.” Modabwitsa, m’kope lotsatira (pambuyo pake mu 1991), mawuwo munalibemo, ndipo munawonjezedwa chaputala chatsopano cha mutu wakuti “Chotsimikizirika: Petro pa St. Peter.”

Mafotokozedwe a Zotumbidwazo

Kuli kwachionekere kuti zotumbidwazo zikhoza kufotokozedwa mosiyanasiyana ndi kuti zimatanthauza zinthu zosiyanasiyana kwa anthu osiyanasiyana. Ndithudi, olemba mbiri Achikatolika odalirika kwambiri anazindikira kuti “mavuto a za mbiri yakale a kufera chikhulupiriro kwenikweniko kwa Petro mu Roma, ndi a malo kumene anakwiriridwa, ali okayikitsa.” Kodi zotumbidwa zimavumbulanji?

Kakachisi koumbako, malinga ndi kunena kwa awo ofuna kuchirikiza mwambo Wachikatolika, ndiko “chizindikiro” chonenedwa ndi Gaius, wansembe yemwe anakhala ndi moyo kuchiyambi kwa zaka za zana lachitatu. Malinga ndi kunena kwa Eusebius wa ku Kaisareya, wolemba mbiri za tchalitchi wa m’zaka za zana lachinayi, Gaius ananena kuti iye akatha ‘kusonyeza chizindikiro cha Petro pa Vatican Hill.’ Ochirikiza chikhulupiriro chamwambo amanena kuti mtumwiyo anakwiriridwa kumeneko, pansi pa chikumbukiro choumba chimene chinadzatchedwa “chizindikiro cha Gaius.” Komabe, ena amafotokoza zopezedwa pakufukula kumeneko mosiyana kwambiri, akumanena kuti Akristu oyamba sanasamale kwambiri za manda a akufa awo ndi kuti ngakhale ngati Petro akanaphedwera kumeneko, kupezedwanso kwa thupi lake kukanakhala kokayikitsa kwambiri. (Onani bokosi patsamba 29.)

Pali awo amene samavomereza kuti “chizindikiro cha Gaius” (ngati nchimene chapezedwa) chili manda. Iwo amakhulupirira kuti chili chikumbukiro choumbidwira kulemekeza Petro chakumapeto kwa zaka za zana lachiŵiri ndi kuti pambuyo pake “chinadzalingaliridwa kukhala manda achikumbukiro.” Komabe, malinga ndi kunena kwa wophunzitsa zaumulungu Oscar Cullmann, “kufukula m’mabwinja kwa ku Vatican sikumasonyeza manda a Petro mpang’ono pomwe.”

Bwanji ponena za mafupawo? Kuyenera kunenedwa kuti kumene mafupawo anachokera kwenikweni idakali nkhani yosadziŵika. Popeza kuti m’zaka za zana loyamba manda achikunja anali pamalo pamene tsopano pali Vatican Hill, mafupa ochuluka a anthu anakwiriridwa m’malowo, ndipo ambiri afukulidwa kale. Mawu ozokota osakwanirawo (mwinamwake a m’zaka za zana lachinayi) amene ena amati amasonyeza malo opezedwamo mafupawo kukhala manda a mtumwiyo, kwenikweni angakhale akunena za “kukhalapo kongolingaliridwako kwa mafupa a Petro.” Ndiponso, openda mawu ozokota ambiri amalingalira kuti mawu ozokotawo angatanthauzenso kuti “Petro sali pano.”

‘Chikhulupiriro Chamwambo Chosadalirika’

“Magwero oyambirira ndi odalirika kwambiri samatchula malo a kufera chikhulupiriro [a Petro], koma pakati pa magwero apambuyo pake ndi osadalirika kwambiri pali kugwirizana kwenikweni kwakuti anali malo a ku Vatican,” akutero wolemba mbiri D. W. O’Connor. Motero kufufuza manda a Petro mu Vatican kunazikidwa pa zikhulupiriro zamwambo zosadalirika. “Pamene mafupa a wakufa anakhala ofunika kwambiri,” akutero O’Connor motsimikizira, “Akristu anayamba kukhulupirira ndi mtima wonse kuti [chizindikiro] cha Petro kwenikweni chinasonyeza malo enieni a manda ake.”

Zikhulupiriro zamwambo zimenezi zinakulira pamodzi ndi kupembedza mafupa a akufa kopanda Malemba. Kuyambira m’zaka za zana lachitatu ndi lachinayi kumka mtsogolo, malo atchalitchi osiyanasiyana anagwiritsira ntchito mafupa a akufa, enieni ndi onamizira​—ndi kupezapo phindu la chuma​—pomenyera nkhondo kupeza ulemerero “wauzimu” ndi kuchirikiza ulamuliro wawowawo. Chotero, pokhutiritsidwa kuti mafupa a Petro anali ndi mphamvu yochita zozizwitsa, apaulendo wachipembedzo anapita ku manda ake olingaliridwawo. Kumapeto kwa zaka za zana lachisanu ndi chimodzi, okhulupirirawo ankaponya pa “mandapo” nsalu zopimidwa kulemera kwake mosamalitsa. “Modabwitsa,” chinatero cholembedwa china chapanthaŵiyo, “ngati chikhulupiriro cha wopembedzerayo chili cholimba, pamene nsaluyo ichotsedwa pamandapo, idzakhala ndi dalitso lalikulu laumulungu ndipo idzalemera moŵirikiza kuposa kulemera kwake kwa poyamba.” Zimenezi zimasonyeza mlingo wa kufunitsitsa kukhulupirira zosatsimikizirika kwa panthaŵiyo.

M’kupita kwa zaka mazana ambiri, nthano zonga imeneyi ndi zikhulupiriro zamwambo zopanda maziko alionse zinathandizira kwambiri kutchukitsa Tchalitchi cha Vatican. Komabe, panabuka malingaliro otsutsa. M’zaka za zana la 12 ndi 13, Akristu otchedwa Awaldensi anatsutsa malingaliro onkitsa ameneŵa ndipo, mwakugwiritsira ntchito Baibulo, iwo anafotokoza kuti Petro sanakhalepo mu Roma. Pambuyo pa zaka mazana ambiri, ochirikiza Reformation ya Chiprotestanti anatsutsa mofananamo. M’zaka za zana la 18, afilosofi otchuka anaona chikhulupiriro chamwambo chimenecho kukhala chopanda maziko, ponse paŵiri m’mbiri ndi m’Malemba. Lingaliro limodzimodzilo lilinso ndi akatswiri odalirika amalemba, Achikatolika ndi ena, kufikira lerolino.

Kodi Petro Anafera mu Roma?

Petro, msodzi wodzichepetsa wa ku Galileya, mosakayikira konse analibe lingaliro la kudzikweza pa akulu mumpingo Wachikristu wa m’zaka za zana loyamba. M’malo mwake, iye anadzitcha kuti “mkulu mnzanu.” (1 Petro 5:1-6) Umunthu wodzichepetsa wa Petro ukusiyana kwambiri ndi ulemerero woikidwa pamanda ake olingaliridwawo, monga momwe aliyense wofika ku Tchalitchi cha Vatican angaonere.

Pofuna kukhala chotchuka kuposa zipembedzo zina Zachikristu, Tchalitchi cha Katolika chakonda kuvomereza chikhulupiriro chamwambo ‘chapambuyo pake ndi chosadalirika kwambiri’ chimene chimati Petro anakhala kwa nthaŵi yakutiyakuti mu Roma. Komabe, chodabwitsa nchakuti, zikhulupiriro zamwambo zakale zina zimasonyeza manda ake kusakhala mu Vatican koma kwinakwake mu Roma. Komabe, bwanji osamamatira pa zenizeni zolembedwa m’Baibulo, magwero achindunji okha a chidziŵitso chonena za Petro? Mawu a Mulungu amasonyeza bwino lomwe kuti, mosunga malangizo amene iye analandira kwa bungwe lolamulira la mpingo Wachikristu mu Yerusalemu, Petro anachita ntchito yake m’chigawo cha kummaŵa cha dziko lakalelo, kuphatikizapo Babulo.​—Agalatiya 2:1-9; 1 Petro 5:13; yerekezerani ndi Machitidwe 8:14.

Polembera Akristu okhala mu Roma, pafupifupi 56 C.E., mtumwi Paulo anapereka malonje kwa ziŵalo pafupifupi 30 za mpingowo popanda ngakhale kumtchula Petro. (Aroma 1:1, 7; 16:3-23) Ndiyeno, pakati pa 60 ndi 65 C.E., Paulo analemba makalata asanu ndi imodzi ali ku Roma, koma Petro sakutchulidwa​—umboni wamphamvu wakuti Petro sanali kumeneko.a (Yerekezerani ndi 2 Timoteo 1:15-17; 4:11.) Ntchito ya Paulo mu Roma ikulongosoledwa kumapeto kwa buku la Machitidwe, koma kachiŵirinso, Petro sakutchulidwa. (Machitidwe 28:16, 30, 31) Motero, kupenda umboni wa Baibulo kosasinjirira, kopanda malingaliro ogamuliratu alionse, kungafikitse pa chigamulo chimodzi chokha chakuti Petro sanalalikire mu Roma.b

“Kukwezeka” kwa papa kwazikidwa pa zikhulupiriro zamwambo zosadalirika ndi kutanthauzira malemba kopotoka. Yesu, osati Petro, ndiye maziko a Chikristu. ‘Kristu ndiye mutu wa mpingo,’ akutero Paulo. (Aefeso 2:20-22; 5:23) Anali Yesu Kristu amene Yehova anatumiza kudzadalitsa ndi kupulumutsa awo onse okhala ndi chikhulupiriro.​—Yohane 3:16; Machitidwe 4:12; Aroma 15:29; onaninso 1 Petro 2:4-8.

Motero, awo onse amene amatenga ulendo ndi kupita ku malo omwe amawakhulupirira moona mtima kukhala manda a Petro kotero kuti ‘akaonane ndi woloŵa m’malo wake’ akuyang’anizana ndi vuto lakuti kaya ayenera kuvomereza ‘zikhulupiriro zamwambo zosadalirika’ kapena kukhulupirira Mawu a Mulungu odalirika. Popeza kuti Akristu amafuna kuti kulambira kwawo kukhale kolandirika kwa Mulungu, iwo ‘amapenyerera Wokwaniritsa chikhulupiriro chawo, Yesu,’ ndi chitsanzo changwiro chimene iye anatisiira kuti tichitsatire.​—Ahebri 12:2, NW; 1 Petro 2:21.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Bokosi patsamba 29]

“Kufukula m’mabwinja sikunapeze maumboni otsimikizirika alionse a manda kunsi kwa Aedicula [kakachisi]; ndipo sipangakhale chitsimikiziro chilichonse chakuti thupi la Petro woyera mtima linatengedwa kwa akuphawo kuti liikidwe m’manda ndi Akristu. Malinga ndi kachitidwe kozoloŵereka panthaŵiyo, mtembo wa munthu yemwe anali mlendo (peregrinus), ndipo malinga ndi lamulo, mpandu wamba akanaponyedwa mu Tiber. . . . Ndiponso, sipakanakhala chifuno chosungira mafupa a thupi m’masiku oyambirira ameneŵa monga momwe zinadzakhalira pambuyo pake, pamene chikhulupiriro cha mapeto oyandikira a dziko chinali chitazirala ndipo chipembedzo cha ofera chikhulupiriro chinali chitayamba. Motero, kuthekera kwakuti thupi la Petro woyera mtima silinatengedwe kuti likaikidwe m’manda kuli koona.”​—The Shrine of St. Peter and the Vatican Excavations, lolembedwa ndi Jocelyn Toynbee ndi John Ward Perkins.