ELECTION OF A POPE.

Northern Advocate, 30 January 1922, Page 7

ELECTION OF A POPE.

METHOD OF PROCEDURE. VOTING BY CARDINALS. THE SECRET CONCLAVE. The election of a Pope is regulated partly by ancient traditional usage, partly by decrees of some General Councils of the Church, partly by laws and constitutions of the Popes themselves. In ancient times the people of Rome as well as the clergy had a voice in the election of their bishop, who happened to be also the Head of the Church throughout the world. The clerk, of Rome chose the Pope in the presence of the people. But this practice had quite disappeared at the election of Pope destine 11. in the 12th century, and in 1179 the right of choosing a Pope was restricted by the Third General Council of the hate-ran to the cardinals only.

The Conclave proper, that is, the meeting of the cardinals in secret, was called into existence by Gregory X. in 1274, in order that tho cardinals when assembled together should be secluded from all intercourse with the outside world and so be free to do their important. work. Tt has been the rule since that time that the Pope must be elected in Conclave, and by secret ballot, the votis of two-thirds of the cardinals actually present in the Conclave being requisite for a valid election. The chosen one need not be a cardinal, though since the time of Unba-n VI. (137-S) no one but a cardinal has been elected. it is possible to h.ive an election by acclamation, and also by quasiinspiration. The fonmer has happened frequently, while the latter, which has never actually occurred, would come to pass if all the assembled cardinals without a single exception, agreed to entrust to a few chosen out of their number the power of choosiing a Pope. Anyone may be chosen —prince, noble, labourer, peasant. The only Englishman who was ever a Pope, Adrian IV. (12th century), was born at Abbot's Laugley, Hertfordshire. His father, Robert Brekspear, was a man of humble moans, though otf decent .stock, and the young lad went, abroad as a poor wandering scholar. Pius X. was of pea ? sanit stock and was chosen in preference to several cardinals who were princes of the land and inheritors of great family wealth.

After nine days' mourning for the dead Pope the cardinals are shut up in the Pope 's palace, at present the Vatican, each one bring with him only one servant. Communication with the outside work is completely cut off; no one is allowed into their part of the palace, and no one is allowed out. No one is alfowed to speak privately with tiiem, and no one, under pain of excommunication, is allowed to send mes-sages or writings to the cardinals or officials. No cardinal outside can vote, but one who arrives late is admitted. The electors are strictly bidden to make their choice a matter of con,science, to lav aside all private affections, and to act solely in the interest of the Church. The voting may take place on anv day of the Conclave, and may also be taken twice on the same day, after Mass in tho morning and in the afternoon. The most complete secrecy prevails in the taking of the votes. The voting papers are sealed up, so that nothing can be read on the outside save the name of the cardinal nominated; each cardinal places his voting paper in I a large chalice. The papers are then taken out by three cardinals, chosen by lot for that duty by the junior cardinals. Before depositing his paper each elector kneels before the altar and repeats aloud the following oath: "I call Christ, our Lord God to witness, Who will judge me, that I will choose him who 1 consider ought to be elected in the sight of God.'' The* elaborate arrangements for the Conclave are laid down by law. The Cam- llongo of the College of Cardinals takes charge, the office of the Secretary of State, the highest ,in the official world, ceasing at the death of the Pope. Political interference by secular states, whether direct or indirect, before or during the Conclave, is forbidden.

After each voting the papers are burnt and the crowds in the Square of St. Peter's wait for the sinoko to appear from the crooked, thin, black pipe ihat runs up the end wall of the Sistine (Impel in the Vatican Palace. Tt the 'lay i-nIV is black, there will be another election; if it is white, the 50 or W thousand spectators will be guessing at the name of the successor of 1 Peter, announced by the senior card.nal def-oii from the balcony of Si. Peter's. There will be many speculations about the row Pope, but the unexpected generally happens. When Benedict XV. was chosen an old peasant, who had known in in as a boy, declared he had expected it all along. Hi; reason was ingenioius: "The newspapers never mentioned him; their silence was a good oiinen.''