WHO WILL BE THE NEXT POPE?

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23275, 18 February 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT POPE?

humble fisherman on whom a world church was built.

tical authority on canon law and church history informed me. "There always are, of course, favourites, but they generally do not win. Pius XI., then Cardinal Achille Ratti, Archbishop of Milan, was, if I may use the expression, distinctly a 'dark horse' when Benedict XV. died toward the end of January in 1922. He had been cardinal only since the previous June, and was relatively obscure. An outstanding candidate was the papal secretary of state, Cardinal Gasparri. Yet he. was not chosen." "Ludicrous To Guess" My informant assured me that the higher Roman clergy the world over are no more able to state who will be the next pope than the most humble or least informed layman. Their silence on the matter was not because of reluctance to betray a church secret. It was simply because they consider a papal election unpredictable. "In a sense it is ludicrous even to guess," said my informant. "There are too many unknown factors. Each cardinal takes solejnn oath to vote only for the person he considers most fit for the post. It is obviously difficult to enter into the mind of more than 60 cardinals as they view the necessities of the church in its internal affairs and in its relation to temporal powers and world problems. Circumstances alter cases and a cardinal might, with good conscience in 1939, vote against a candidate whom at another time he might support. "Consequently the choice is usually a surprise, but one thing is highly probable. The choice will fall on an Italian and not on any cardinal 'in absentia.' Not since Adrian XL in 1522, has any but an. Italian and a cardinal who was present in the eonclavo been chosen." Of the present cardinals no other country has a representation that could make the least impression on the Italian bloc. The membership of the college of cardinals apart from the Italians, is extremely scattered raciajly and geographically. It is difficult to conceive of any revolt against the traditional Italian dominance. Magna Carta for Cardinals Although theoretically every cardinal may become pope, the field of choice can reasonably be narrowed. Thero are the exclusions due to years and nationality. Other cardinals have not posts that give them prominence and impress their names upon the rest of the college of electors. The two Cardinals Mereati and Tisserant who control the Vatican library may, because of being buried in a world of books and ancient manuscripts, be less likely to be pope. But Pius XI. himself was 20 years in the Ambrosian library in Milan and six years in the Vatican library. However, in the four years prior to his election, he played an important part in the affairs of the Vatican State. He was apostolic visitor to Poland, and later nuncio. For his diplomatic success, he received the#red hat. Success in important missions as papal nuncio undoubtedly increases a cardinal's chance of the papacy, for it demonstrates his fitness for high affairs of state. It must not bo forgotten that the pope is more than a ruler of a hierarchical organisation. He is head of the Vatican State and must be versed in world affairs. It may be that the cardinals locked in their conclave

To-day many are asking who the next pontiff will be. The answer will lie in the secret ballots in the jewelled chalice on the altar of the Sistine Gbapel when th(* cardinals are assembled in conclave. From the ceiling, Micbaelangelo's "Last Judgment" will look down upon them as they vote, to remind them of the importance of their decision and the necessity of a strict examination of conscience.

THE world's most solemn and august ritual and most picturesque pageantry are seen in "the obsequies of a pope and the selection and coronation of that member 'of the College of Cardinals who will succeed him as spiritual and temporal sovereign in the See of St. Peter.. Of all Seven Hills of the Eternal .City, the Vatican Hill, in the dim mists of antiquity, before it became /the peak of Catholic Christendom and a symbol of the Mount of Olives and the Hill of Golgotha, has witnessed the most dramatic and colourful spectacles.

soldiery that go between the Vatican and the Basilica of St. Peter accompanying a dead pope to his tomb or a new pope to his throne.

This is the world's strangest as well as most dramatic election. There are no avowed candidates, for each cardinal is potentially the next pope. There is no, electioneering, for it is an offence against canon law, punishable by excommunication, for any cardinal to discuss with any other cardinal during the pope's lifetime or after his death, the question of his successor.

Three score cardinals clad in the ceremonial scarlet of their high office bfear lighted candles in front of the bier on which lies the dead pope's body covered with a voluminous red silk shroud. Swiss halberdiers, in brighthued medieval costumes, blow silver trumpets to inaugurate a new papal reign.

It is, however, permissable for the popo to discuss, that matter with any cardinal. In times long past, some popes practically appointed their successor.

Sixteen centuries and, in fact, if strict apostolic succession be regarded, twenty centuries have passed in the evolution and elaboration of these intricate and complex ceremonies of mourning and rejoicing which, blended with many colours from many ages, are history's richest ritual tapestry. The -next pope, when his time comes, will, be the two hundredth and sixtyfirst in the line of succession, from the

The election has no fixed duration. It may last only a few days or may continue for weeks. Pope Pius XI. was chosen at the beginning of the third day on the seventh ballot. It took two years and nine months to elect Gregory X. ' . : . "It is the most difficult of all elections to'predict," a Roman ecclesias-

The triumphal processions of Roman Imperatora ascending the Capitoline Hill with captive kings dragged behind their chariots were mere barbaric glitter compared with the resplendent letinue of prelates and Vatican

" Worlds Strangest as As Most Dramatic Election"

SECRET HIDDEN IN SACRED CHALICE USED AS BALLOT BOX

By ROBERT

(World Copyright Reserved)

and debating which of their number is best fitted for supreme rule will think of one who is a great statesman as well as churchman. At one time the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire claimed a voice in the election of the pope. Later the sovereigns of France and Spain and the Holy Roman Empire claimed the right to impose a veto. The last instance of this interference on the part of a temporal power was in 1903. Cardinal Rampolla having received 29 votes was in the lead, when Cardinal Puzina, of Cracow, rose and declared that he was instructed by the Austrian Government to state that it was opposed to Rampolla as pope. The college of cardinals yielded to this pressure and elected Cardinal Sarto. But he immediately, as Pius X., issued a proclamation suppressing all rights of veto or exclusion on the part of secular governments. This precedent would prevent the Italian Government from dictating to Italian cardinals their choice of a pope. To insure the cardinals the exercise of their right of choice unhampered by interference from temporal powers or by ecclesiastical caballing, Gregory X. promulgated a law of conclaves which is to the college of cardinals a Magna Carta of electoral independence. It is in large part in operation to-day and minutely describes the steps to bo taken from the death of one popo to tho accession of another. Voting Twice A Day

that I clloose him whom before God I consider should be chosen."

Three cardinals are chosen by lot as scrutineers and three as "revisores" to control the count. The ballots are carefully counted to see that they do not exceed the number of the cardinals present. The names of those who receive votes are read aloud and, if none has received a two-thirds majority the cardinals leave the chapel for their apartments to wait for the next ballot.

As soon as the supreme pontiff has breathed his last breath a cardinal called the Cardinal Camerlengo is in full control of the affairs of the church assisted by the three cardinals who aro heads of the orders of cardinal bishops, cardinal priests and cardinal deacons. The conclave is so called because it implies a closed room with all ingress and egress barred. For the period of the election the cardinals are literally prisoners of the Vatican. A large section of the palace is completely isolated. Formerly it had four openings through which food could be received. Now there is a kitchen inside the conclave.

For each cardinal and his secretary and servant are sleeping cubicles meagrely furnished with bed, table, crucifix and a few'chairs. No message is allowed to be sent in or out, and no cardinal can leave unless he is ill. Access is by one door only, which is locked on the outside by the marshal of the conclave who is always a member of-the noble Roman Chigi family, and on the inside by the Cardinal Camerlengo. It can be opened to admit late arrivals. All this is designed to preserve the secrecy of the election and prevent electioneering or undue influence.

The cardinals assemble preliminarily in the Sistine Chapel to listen to a Latin address reminding them of their obligation to choose the most worthy candidate. Six candles burn on the altar around the chalice used as a ballot box. The voting takes place twice a day, in the morning and afternoon, and no one but the cardinals themselves is allowed in the chapel while the ballot is being taken.

Each cardinal has a scriptural text by which he identifies his ballot. Before depositing it he takes the following solemn Latin oath. "I call to witness the Lord Christ who will be my judge

If no candidate has received the requisite two-thirds vote wet straw is burned in a Vatican chimney. The black smoke informs the outside world that the Sacred College has not yet reached a decision, if, however, dry straw is burned, the white plume of smoke proclaims the advent of a new pope long before the silver bugles blow at the actual coronation. Though the election is secret the actual count is given to the public. It was announced that Pius X. received 38 votes out of a total of 53. His was not one of those votes, for the ballots which can be identified by their scriptural texts are examined to see that the pope-elect has not voted for himself. Such action would nullify his election. While they are in conclave the cubicles of the cardinals are covered with purplo clotli if they are of the last pope's creation, but with green cloth if they aro not. During the election each cardinal has a canopy over his duis to signify that they are all equal. As soon as a new pope is elected all the canopies save hi# are removed, and, as soon ns he accepts the election and gives the name by which he is to be known as pontiff,

the secretary of the conclave clothes him in the white robo and white cap which are the symbol of the papal office.

He ascends a throne and one by one the cardinals pass before him and do him homage. The Cardinal Camerlengo, who during the election has been temporarily in possession of papal authority, places on his finger the ring of St. Peter. • ...■•* ■ • This ring is then handed to the prefect of ceremonies, Who at once sees that the new name is engraved upon it. There is a more formal announcement of the new pope than the white smoke signal from a Vatican chimney.

The head of the order of cardinal deacons immediately declares the new pope's name to the throngs assembled outside the Vatican. On his first public appearance the Italian troops present arms and the papal troops return the salute. , _ ■ Which of the cardinals will it bo who is carried from the Vatican into the Basilica, of St. Peter, guarded bv Swiss guards with drawn swords while cardinals and prelates and "the ambassadors of the great powers do hira honour and the silver trumpets blow peal on peal of jubilation?; That is a secret hidden in the sacred! chalice that is the ballot box.