By Croire editorial team
When the cardinals enter conclave to the chant of Veni Creator Spiritus, the world seems to hold its breath. Which of these men dressed in red will appear on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, now dressed in white? Who will be the next man tasked with guiding the Catholic Church? Let’s look back at the papal election through the centuries, up to the conclave of 2013 following Benedict XVI’s resignation.
What is a conclave? What is its origin?
During the first millennium, the method of choosing the pope underwent several changes, progressively limiting the electoral body. In 1179, Pope Alexander III defined the College of Cardinals as we know it today: only cardinals are eligible to vote for the election of a new pope.
Less than a century later, in 1268, cardinals were convened to find a successor to Clement IV. Gathered in the town of Viterbo, about 70 kilometers north of Rome, the 19 electors delayed the decision. Frustrated, in 1270 the locals locked the churchmen in a room with a key, or cum clave in Latin. Thus, the conclave was born. To further pressure the cardinals, the faithful subjected them to a bread and water diet and removed the roof of the building.
Gregory X was finally elected in 1271 and found the method effective, so in 1274 he established the conclave as the process for papal elections. Over the next eight centuries, the conclave would see only minor changes, the most significant coming from Paul VI in 1970. He restricted the voting body to cardinals under 80 years old and theoretically limited the number of electors to 120.
Who can be elected pope?
According to church law, it is not necessary to be a cardinal to be elected pope. One must simply be a baptized adult male. However, the last non-cardinal elected was in 1378, when Bartolomeo Prignano ascended to the papal throne as Urban VI. His election was ultimately unfortunate, as his death triggered the Western Schism, during which up to three different men claimed to be the legitimate successor of St Peter.
How does the election of the pope take place?
The conclave begins 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death or resignation, primarily to allow all cardinals time to arrive in Rome. In the days preceding the conclave, the gathered cardinals—who come from all over the world—meet daily. They get to know each other and reflect together on the current needs of the church and its mission, helping to clarify the profile of the leader the church requires.
The cardinals then gather in the splendid Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. During the election period, all those involved, including those assisting, take an oath not to reveal anything about the voting or attempt any outside communication. Thus, only the election’s final result is known, not the details. A chimney signals the voting results: white smoke signifies a successful election, while black smoke indicates a need for more voting.
In theory, a cardinal cannot vote for himself, but the handwritten ballots are secret. On the first day of the conclave, the cardinals immediately vote, followed by a second vote if no pope is elected. In the following days, they vote up to four times per day, twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. During the election, the electors reside within the Vatican walls at the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
What was the shortest conclave?
A candidate must secure at least two-thirds of the votes to be elected. The most recent conclaves have quickly produced a new pope. For instance, in 2005, Benedict XVI was elected on the second day after just four ballots. You would have to go back to 1922 for a conclave lasting more than four days, with the election of Pius XI after five days and 14 ballots. Seventeen years later, the cardinals needed less than 24 hours and just three ballots to elect his successor, Pius XII, making the 1939 conclave the shortest in history. On the eve of World War II, the cardinals likely wanted to avoid leaving the faithful in uncertainty for too long.
What was the longest conclave?
While the election of Gregory X in 1271 was the longest in history—resulting in a three-year vacancy of the Apostolic See—the longest modern conclave took place in 1740. Beginning on February 18, it did not conclude until August 17, with the election of Benedict XIV. It took six months for the approximately 50 cardinals (with the number fluctuating due to late arrivals and the death of electors) to agree on a name. This conclave was particularly lengthy due to the “right of exclusion,” which allowed monarchs to veto a cardinal’s election. This practice is now strictly prohibited.
How was Pope Francis elected?
Convened on Mar 12, 2013, the conclave that led to the election of Pope Francis was unique, as the cardinals had ample time to prepare, opening a month after Benedict XVI announced his decision to retire. Out of 117 voting cardinals, two decided not to participate, one for health reasons and the other due to his resignation from his diocese. European cardinals were the majority in the Sistine Chapel, with 60 of them, including 28 Italians. The average age of the electors was 77.
It took just over 24 hours and five ballots for the cardinals to agree on a new pope. Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, then Archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected on Mar 13, 2013. To the surprise of the other cardinals and observers worldwide, he chose the name Francis, which had never been used by a pope before. A few days later, he explained that he made this choice in honor of St Francis of Assisi to signal his desire for a “poor church for the poor.” – La Croix International
