How Popes are Chosen

April 6, 2005

How Popes are Chosen

Electing a New Pope: Pope John Paul II has made specific rules that are to be used when electing a new Pope.

The Interregnum is the period of time when there isn’t a Pope until a new one is elected. This Latin term means between the reign (of one Pope and another). The day of death is counted as the first day of vacancy.

Before Conclave

The Conclave is when the Cardinals have to lock themselves together in a room and gather to vote for a new Pope. Before the conclave, they can discuss the state of the Catholic Church, but are not allowed to do this from a political standpoint, and they cannot make agreements with other Cardinals to sway votes. If anyone is caught violating this principle, he is automatically excommunicated. The Conclave must begin on or before the twenty-first day of vacancy.

The Cardinal Electors gather in the morning in St. Peter’s Basilica. They celebrate a Mass for the election of the Pope. In the afternoon, they swear to an oath to observe the Laws of the Church in electing a new Pope. They also ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Everyone who is not authorized in the Conclave must leave. The Cardinals of the Electors meditate, then they go to the Sistine Chapel.

The Conclave

In the conclave, the electors recite prayers and are allowed to ask questions of the Cardinal Dean. During the voting, the Cardinal Electors remain in the Sistine Chapel. The votes are checked and counted.

After the Scrutineers have counted the vote, the advisers verify them and they are announced. There must be a majority of two-thirds to elect a new Pope. There are special rules to handle any complications that arise. You can read about that below.

A deadlocked Conclave occurs when there is less than two-thirds of the vote for the Pope. For the first ballot (vote), the electors vote again. After any more ballots, they are burned regardless of whether there was an election or not. When two-thirds vote for the same person, an election has occurred. The Scrutineers, Secretary of the Conclave, and the Masters of Ceremony burn the ballots.

When there is a successful election, The Cardinal, Dean, Secretary of the College, Junior Cardinals, Deacons, and the Master of the Papal Liturgical Ceremonies ask the one that is elected, “Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?” The moment he gives consent, he becomes the Bishop of Rome and Supreme Pontiff (The Pope,) unless he isn’t already a bishop and would therefore need to be ordained before becoming the Pope.

Difficult Elections

When the electors have a difficult election (they cannot get the 2/3 vote,) they have to go three days without voting. For one full day, the electors are allowed to pray and discuss. Voting is then continued for seven ballots (votes.) This suspension can occur three times. If, after the third time, the vote may be evoked by a majority of electors.

Three Phases of Voting

The voting is broken up into three phases. When the ballots are prepared and given out, it is called prescrutiny. When the ballots are collected and counted, this is called scrutiny. Pass scrutiny is when the ballots are checked, counted, and burned.

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