Choosing John Paul’s successor
The ways in which the papacy may be vacated include death but loss of reason and resignation are also legitimate means. However, the Pope can never be deposed.
When the Pope dies, the Cardinal Camerlengo - dean of the College of Cardinals - must verify the death traditionally, by calling the Pope three times by name without a response. He must then authorise a death certificate and notify the Cardinal Vicar of Rome. The Camerlengo then seals the Pope’s private apartments. He also arranges for the “ring of the fisherman” and the papal seal to be broken.
During the interim period, the Camerlengo is responsible for the government of the Church. He must arrange the funeral and burial of the Pope and direct the election of a new pontiff.
After 15 to 20 days of “General Congregations” - a Mass in honour of the Holy Spirit, sermons at their Titular Churches, mourning for the Pope after his funeral and an oration warning the cardinals of the sacredness of their duties - the Cardinal Electors enter the conclave to choose which of them will emerge as Holy Roman Pontiff.
Papal elections take place at the Vatican, in secluded quarters and in great secrecy. The cardinals must take an oath when they first enter the conclave that they will abide by all rules set down by the Pope and that they will maintain absolute secrecy about the voting and deliberations. Intervention of any other person of whatever standing is forbidden. At this point, the conclave is closed. The penalty for disclosing anything about the conclave is automatic excommunication.
The cardinals are not permitted any contact with the outside world: no mobile phones, newspapers, television, messages, letters or signals to observers. The cardinals will be visible to the observing world, at least twice daily, when they move the 350 yards from the Domus Sanctae Marthae to the Sistine Chapel and back again.
The cardinals may choose one of three modes of election: by inspiration (a unanimous viva voce choice); by compromise (a choice by 3, 5 or 7 delegates unanimously chosen in advance); or by ballot. The latter is the ordinary way of electing the Pope. For valid election by ballot, the candidate must receive two-thirds of the votes. If the number of the cardinals present cannot be divided into three equal parts, another vote is required for the validity of his election. The principal provisions are that the number of voting prelates total no more than 120, and that they be under the age of 80.
Election by ballot is divided into three stages: preparatory steps, the actual casting of ballots and subsequent tallying and recording of the votes. In the preparatory stage, ballots of a set are distributed to each cardinal. Then, three tellers are chosen from among the cardinals, as well as three to bring the ballots of the sick, and three to review the results of the election. The cardinals write the name of the candidate they favour on the ballot. They alter their penmanship style to prevent recognition. When finished, they fold the ballot once lengthwise.
Each cardinal approaches the altar, according to the order of precedence. He carries the folded ballot between the first two fingers of his right hand. He kneels for a short prayer, and on rising he testifies - that as Christ the Lord his Judge - he is choosing whom he judges should be selected. Then he places his ballot on the provided paten, and places it into a chalice. After all ballots have been cast, the first teller covers the chalice with the paten and shakes it a few times to mix the ballots. If the number of ballots corresponds to the number of cardinals, the election process continues. If not, all the ballots are burned and the vote must be taken again. The three tellers read each ballot successively, and the third one reads the name aloud. The last teller strings all the ballots together and puts them into an empty chalice.
The tellers count all the votes any candidate has received. Not until one receives at least the necessary two-thirds of the votes, is a Pope canonically and validly elected. The custom is for the counting of two votes each morning and afternoon until one of the candidates receives the designated majority.
When a Pope has been canonically elected, the dean of the cardinals asks him if he accepts his election. Once the Pope-elect accepts, the conclave is at its end as far as any canonical effects are concerned.
It is then the duty of the cardinal dean to inquire what name he will choose. The name of the new pope is not known formally until it has been proclaimed by the senior cardinal deacon, from the main balcony of the Vatican. The proclamation is made in Latin, the official language of the Church, and begins Habemus Papam - “We have a Pope”. The new Pope then steps forward and imparts his first papal blessing, Urbi et Orbi - “to the City and to the World”. After all the official acts of notification are over, the cardinals pay homage to the newly elected pontiff. Then the eldest cardinal deacon announces the choice to the people. Finally, at a time designated by the Pope, the eldest cardinal deacon crowns the new Pope with the triple tiara of the papacy.
The success or failure of a vote in producing a new Pope has been signalled by the colour of the smoke emanating from a small chimney, leading from the stove where the ballots were burned - white for success, black for failure. Although this system is unreliable, and in the past has led to confusion as to whether there was a new Pope or not, it is still preserved as a tradition.
The Pope puts on his pontifical clericals - white soutane and skull cap. The family business in Rome that makes all the papal vestments has several different sizes prepared.
Within a short time of his election, a formal inauguration ceremony takes place, at which the woollen pallium is bestowed upon him. Pope John Paul I abolished the traditional Papal Coronation, which Pope John Paul II did not resurrect. These last two Popes have done away with the monarchic symbolism of the papacy, in favour of a heightened concentration of their role as “Servus Servorum Dei” - Servant of the servants of God.
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