What is a conclave?
Vatican City (AP) – Conclave is a pontificate’s election that derives its name from the Italian “Con Clave” (key), highlighting that the Cardinals are quarantined until they find a winner.
The Cardinals do not come into contact with the outside world in order for the master of the liturgical ritual to utter the Latin phrase “all out” and ask everyone except the Cardinal Elector to leave the Sistine Chapel and begin the voting process.
In between votes, Cardinals will stay at the Domus Santa Marta Hotel in Vatican City and perhaps another nearby Vatican residence.
How does it work?
The conclave will begin on May 7th.
The day begins in the morning with a mass celebrated in the morning by Cardinals dean Giovanni Batista Cardinal.
In the afternoon, the Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel and take their seats. The priest delivers meditation, and the cardinals make oaths. After “Extra Omness,” the conclave begins.
Unless there are any open questions or issues, Cardinals vote once on the afternoon of May 7, seeking a two-thirds majority. If they cannot find a winner in the first vote, they will retire in the evening and return to the Sistine Chapel the next morning.
They can get up to two votes each morning, and two votes every day until the winner is obtained.
Who can become part of a conclave?
Only Cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. Current regulations limit the number of electorals to 120, but the Pope often exceeds that ceiling, and today there are 135 eligible people.
Cardinals over the age of 80 cannot vote, but can participate in advance meetings known as the general congregation where the issues of the church are being discussed. At these meetings in 2013, then Prime Minister Jorge Mario Bergolio spoke about the need for the church to go to “existential surroundings” to find people in suffering.
Is there a big difference between this conclave and the previous one?
St. John Paul II rewritten the regulations regarding the Pope election in a 1996 document. This is mostly in force today, but Pope Benedict XVI revised twice before resigning.
Francis did not introduce any changes to the Conclave itself, but his influence certainly feels.
Benedict’s most notable change to the original 1996 document was to rule out the possibility that a simple majority would be elected if the vote was in a deadlock. Benedict ordered that two-thirds of a majority are always needed, no matter how long it takes. He did so to prevent the Cardinals from becoming modest and then pushing through the slim majority candidates for the 12 days foreseen by John Paul.
If the conclave lasts long, the top two voters will advance to the leak, and a two-thirds of majority are needed to win. None of the top two candidates vote during the leak.
Who is eligible to be elected Pope?
Baptized Catholic men are eligible to become pope, but since 1378 only the Cardinals have been chosen. Cardinals over the age of 80 could be elected Pope even if they were in the room to vote.
Why are women not part of the process?
Francis and the Pope before him supported the prohibition of ordinating women as priests. Under Catholic doctrine, the priesthood is reserved for man, as Christ chose only man as his 12 apostles. This education is thought to be sacred and undoubtedly inspired.
So is the voting process secret?
Benedict tightened Conclave’s secret oath and revealed automatic excommunication to anyone who reveals what happened inside.
While John Paul’s rules have always been possible, Benedict revised the vows taken by the liturgical assistants and secretaries to make it explicit, saying that they must observe “absolute and enduring secrets” and explicitly refrain from using audio or video recording devices.
They now say, “I am fully aware of this oath, and fully aware that that violation will result in an automatic excommunication penalty reserved to the Apostolic Sea.
How will Conclave announce that they have chosen a new Pope?
After the vote is pierced, it is baked on a cylindrical stove at the end of the voting session. The black smoke from Sistine Chapel Chimney means no decision. That the white smoke signal card s chose the Pope and that he accepted.
A chemical cartridge has been added to ensure there are no confusion in the color. To produce black smoke, cartridges and sulfur containing potassium perchlorate, anthracene (a component of coal tar) are burned on the ballot. For white smoke, potassium chlorate cartridges, lactose and chloroform resins are burned by vote.
The bell is also a langu to inform the election of the Pope, for further clarity.
The new Pope is featured by the loggia overlooking St. Peter’s Square with the words “Havemus Papam!” (“We have a Pope!”) and the name of his chosen Pope. A new Pope appears afterwards and gives him his first blessing.
