How a Pope Is Elected
An historical perspective
prior to bogus Council Vatican II
from the Catholic Book of Knowledge
Nihil obstat Joannes Barton, D.D. F.S.A.
Imprimatur + Georguis L. Craven, Exus Sebastopolis
16 August 1963
This document shows how the Church, in times past, elected a new Pope after the death of the Pope. It was written prior to the bogus Vatican II council and it presents the procedures and traditions used up to that time to conduct the election. We present it here, not to suggest that "The Conclave of 1998" would or could follow each step exactly
that would be impossible since the true Catholic Church no longer occupies the Vatican, since there are no valid Cardinals left from Pius XII, and since "The Conclave of 1998" was conducted using natural law with the Remnant Church serving as Electors. Wherever possible, the Conclave of 1998 would follow the spirit of the traditions established by the Church with regard to the conclave, the election and the new Pope. We fully expect that the new Pope will establish procedures for future conclaves.
The Pope is Dead
In the bedroom of his apartment in the Vatican Palace in Rome, the Pope has just died. Standing by his bedside is the Cardinal Camerlengo, the Cardinal appointed by the Pope to direct the affairs of the Church until a new Pope is elected. In the presence of the Camerlengo and other officials of the Papal Court, the white veil which covers the face of the dead Pope is removed, and prayers are said for the repose of his soul. Then an official reads the rogito, or solemn announcement of his death. The "Ring of the Fisherman," which the Pope had received upon his election, is entrusted to the Camerlengo, who will take it to the first meeting of Cardinals when it is broken into pieces.
When a Pope has died, the Church has lost its supreme head. The Congregations which deal with the affairs of the Church no longer have any authority. There is no longer any office of Papal Secretary of State, and until the election of a new Pope there can be no move in diplomatic relations involving the Holy See, no matter how important or how advanced they may be. Even if a General Council of the Church is in session, it is automatically suspended and can only meet one more if the new Pope gives his approval.
Mourning
The Church throughout the world goes into mourning, and many of its buildings are draped in black, like a widow morning a husband, or children mourning a father; and the sorrow is shared by all men of goodwill throughout the world.
The College of Cardinals
Now, no structure as great or as important as the Catholic Church can remain for long without a Supreme Authority, and it becomes the duty of the College of Cardinals, who has already assumed the responsibilities of the government of the Church, to elect a new Pope. They begin to arrive in Rome as soon as they have heard of the Pope's death. For some days the body of the dead Pope, clothed in red vestments and with a golden mitre upon the head, is exposed for the veneration and prayers of the faithful, in St. Peter's basilica. After the lying-in-state, the body is placed in a triple coffin, a purse containing the coins and medals of his pontificate is put at his feet, the absolutions are pronounced, and the coffin is taken for burial in the crypt of the basilica. Then there follows the Novemdialis - the 9-day period of official mourning, with a solemn Mass each day in St. Peter's.
Sorrow over the death of the Pope is universal and sincere, but the Church must continue its God-given task, and a new Pope must be elected without delay. Therefore, as soon as the Novemdialis is over, the Cardinals must turn to the task of the election. The machinery of administering the Church, usually very slow and deliberate, is now seen to be moving very fast indeed.
Timing of the Election
At one time, the papal election had to be commenced within 10 days after the death of the Pope, but the time has now been extended so that the election must begin not less than 15 days, and not later than 18 days, after the Pope's death. In this way every Cardinal, no matter how far away he may be, may take part in the election. In fact, under his vow of obedience, he must do so, unless he is prevented by grave illness. From all over the world, then, by land, by sea, by air, the Cardinals hasten to Rome. On their journey they are bound to secrecy. They must not discuss the election with anyone, they must give no interviews, they must not offer any opinion upon any candidate. The Pope must be elected upon merit alone.
Methods of Electing
There are 3 ways of election a Pope:
1. by inspiration or acclamation, when the Cardinals are unanimous in the choice and cry his name aloud;
2. by compromise, when all agree to accept the decision of a group of 3, 5 or 7, who have been unanimously chosen to represent the others;
3. by ballot, which is the normal procedure.
Election by acclamation last took place in 1621, at the election of Gregory XV. Compromise was resorted to at the election of Gregory X in 1271, when differences among the Cardinals held up the election of the new Pope for nearly 3 years.
Nowadays a Pope is usually elected by ballot and, to be elected, a candidate must obtain two-thirds (2/3) of all possible votes, unless the number of Cardinals cannot be divided into 3 equal parts, in which case the successful candidate must receive 2/3 plus one of all the votes.
The Conclave
All those Cardinals who have arrived within the time-limit of 18 days will take part in what is called a "conclave" for the election. Conclave means "under lock and key," from the Latin words cum clavi, with a key. This means that until they have reached a decision, the Cardinals are locked away from the outside world. Once upon a time, when a decision was slow in coming, the Cardinals' food was reduced in quantity and quality as a means of inducing them to come to an agreement. Once inside the conclave, the Cardinals stay there, unless there is a very grave reason, such as an urgent need for a surgical operation.
During the time which has elapsed between the death of the Pope and the opening day of the conclave, an army of workmen has been busy inside a wing of the Vatican Palace itself. Every Cardinal must have a cell in which he will live for the time before a decision is reached. He will be allowed to take one attendant with him to the conclave.
Secrecy of Conclave
The conclave itself must be absolutely secret. To ensure this, all entrances to the area of the Vatican where the Cardinals will stay are sealed off, and any windows facing the outside world are covered with whitewash. The only entrance from outside is at a wicket-gate, watched by 5 officials, whose duty it is to check everything that passes through, even the food which the Cardinals and their attendants will eat. Only with the permission of the senior official, who is called the Marshal of the Conclave, is a message allowed to pass, and anything debatable will even then be refused.
Balloting Logistics
The actual balloting takes place in the Sistine Chapel. There, as many thrones as there are Cardinals have been set up. Each throne is covered in violet cloth and has a violet canopy. In front of each throne there stands a small square table covered also in violet; upon this table the Cardinal will mark his record of the voting, as the names are called out. On the altar will have been placed the paraphernalia for voting which is kept for the election of a Pope: a supply of ballot forms; a large chalice, used as an urn for the votes; a paten on to which the votes are poured out for counting; a silver box, in which the votes are deposited; and a box which will be carried to the cell of any Cardinal who is too ill or infirm to leave his cell. In this box he will place his vote.
At the other end of the chapel a small stove is set up, with a pipe leading from it directly to the roof. In this stove the ballot papers are burned and the assembled crowds, thronging St. Peter's Square in the thousands, watch tensely as the smoke rises into the air. If no candidate receives the necessary 2/3 of the votes, then the ballot is unsuccessful. The ballot papers are put on one side, and a second ballot takes place immediately. If this too is unsuccessful, both sets of ballot papers are gathered together, wet straw is mixed with them, and they are burned in the stove, so that the smoke shows black against the sky. When, however, the necessary 2/3 of the votes have been obtained, the voting-papers alone are burned, and the smoke is now white.
http://www.truecatholic.org/pope/conclave-history.htm
