Vatican City (AP): The death of a Pope begins a centenary ritual that involves sacred oath Catholics
Itelf’s choice is secretly wrapped, with the prohibited cardinals of communicating with the outside world which happened turning the vote in the conclave behind the fresh walls of the Sistine Chapel.
San Juan Pablo II rewritten the regulations on papal elections in a 1996 document that remains in force, thought that Pope Benedict XVI modified him twice before resigning. This is what happens when a Pope dies, a period known as the “vacant headquarters” or the “vacancy.”
Who is in charge?
After the Pope has died, Camerlengo, or Chamberlain, must certify death and seal the papal apartment. Direct the administrative and financial tasks of the Holy See until a new Pope takes.
The work in a large part of Camerlengo is currently in the hands of Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the US chief of the Vatican’s Secondary Office, born in Ireland, which death is also announced on Monday morning.
Almost all the prefects of the Vatican offices lose their work when a Pope dies, but some remain, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the master of liturgical ceremonies, who play a key role in the assembly of the conclave.
The dean of the Cardinals College summons the cardinals for the funeral, presiding over the Mass before the conclave begins. This position is currently occupied by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the remote boss of the Vatican office for bishops.
In November 2024, Francis reformed the rites that will be used for funeral, simplifying them to emphasize their role as a mere bishop and allowing burial outside the Vatican. Francis has chosen to be buried in the Basilica Mayor of Santa María, where his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary, Salus Populi Romani is located.
What is the time?
The death of a Pope begins a precise sequence of events that include the confirmation of death in the house of the pontiff, the transfer of the coffin to the Basilica of San Pedro for the public visualization, a funeral mass and burial. The burial must take place between the fourth and sixth day after his death.
After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the “novelty”.
Duration in this period, the cardinals arrive in Rome. To give them all time to meet, the conclave must between 15 and 20 days after the “vacant headquarters” are declared, although it can begin to Soner if the cardinals agree.
Who can choose a Pope?
Only cardinals under 80 are eligible to vote. The current regulations limit the number of voters to 120, but the potatoes have often exceeded that roof. According to the statistics of the updated Vatican more recently, there were 135 cardinals under 80 years and eligible to vote. Cardinals of about 80 years can be elected Pope.
Those around 80 cannot vote can participate in meetings prior to consumption, known as general congregations, discussed in which the Church problems are. It was in these meetings in 2013 that the then Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio spoke about the need for the Church to go to the “existential peripheries” to find those who suffer a speech outside of what helped their choice.
Who are possible candidates?
Any Roman Catholic man baptized is eligible to be a potato, but since 1378, only the cardinals have selected. A cardinal who is considered a possible candidate to be a potato to which reference is made in the media as “daddy” or capable of being potato (or plurally, these cardinals are called “daddabili”). Who can be these contestants, of course, completely speculative because the conclave process is not a public tender?
How are the tasks of the votes?
A first ballot is a hero in the Sistine Chapel in the afternoon after the initial mass. If no Pope is chosen, during the following days two ballots are held every morning and two every afternoon.
The ballots are rectangular pieces of paper with the words: “Eligo in Summum Pontificem” (“elected as a supreme pontiff”) written in the upper part, with a space for a name. Each cardinal takes their choice, bends the role in half, walks in front of the chapel and declares: “I call how my testimony of Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to whom before God I think I should be chosen.”
Then put the ballot on a tray and incline it in a receptacle.
Three designated cardinals, known as scrutineers, check each ballot to see if it is filled correctly. Each name reads out loud and is counted, with the results announced to the conclave after each round.
If no one gets the necessary two thirds from the votes, the ballots are drilled with a needle and a thread, which is then knotted and placed in a tray, and another voting round is prepared.
Benedict modified some of the rules of the conclave of John Paul II of 1996, which most or less excluded his vision that a Pope could be chosen by a simple majority if the vote stagnated. Benedict decreed that a two -thirds majority is always needed, regardless of how long it takes. He did it to prevent the cardinals from resisting the 12 days planned by John Paul II and then pushing a candidate with a thin majority.
The procession of the Sagrada College of Cardinals is presented to the Sistine Chapel, where they will be locked inside to begin the conclave to choose a successor of Pope John Paul I, on October 14, 1978. (Getty Images)
Archbishop Piero Marini, the master of ceremonies for liturgical celebrations, closes the doors of the Sistine Chapel on April 18, 2005, as the cardinals begin the conclave to choose a successor of Pope John Paul II. (Arturo Mari – Vatican Pool/ Getty Images)
The cardinals appeared to the Sistine Chapel for the conclave on March 12, 2013 in the Vatican, to choose the successor of Pope Benedict XVI. (Maurix/Gamma-Rapho through Getty Images)
What about the secret?
Benedict also adjusted the oath of secret in the conclave, making it clear that anyone who reveals what is inside the automatic excommunication.
In the rules of John Paul II, excommunication was always a possibility, but Benedict reviewed the oath that liturgical assistants and secretaries take to make it explicit, let’s say that he must observe “absolutely and perpetuate any video of Avecy and explicitly refrain.”
Now they declare: “Little to this oath aware that an infraction of it will incur the penalty of automatic excommunication reserved for the Apostolic Headquarters. So help me God and these holy gospels, which I play with my hand.”
The cardinals are also obliged secretly, although the threat of excommunication only hangs on them explicitly if it is discovered that they have accepted payment by their vote, allowed secular powers to influence it or support a mode mode.
Do we have a Pope?
After drilling the ballots, they burn in a cylindrical stove at the end of the voting session. The black smoke of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel does not mean any decision; White Smoke points out that the cardinals have chosen a Pope and that has accepted.
Chemical cartridges are added to ensure that there is no confusion about color. To produce black smoke, a cartridge that contains potassium perchlorate, anthracene, coal tar component, and sulfur burns with the tickets. For white smoke, a potassium, lactose chlorate and chloroform chlorine cartridge burns with the ballots.
The bells are also touched to point out the choice of a Pope, for clarity.
The new Pope is introduced from the Lodge with a view to the Plaza de San Pedro with the words “Habemus Papam!” (“We have a Pope!”) And his chosen papal name. The new Pope emerges and gives his first blessing.
Associated Press contributed to this article.