The Pope's Successor.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 31, 8 December 1898, Page 36

The Pope's Successor.

Written for the N.Z. Tablet.

Commend me to the cable-man for proficiency in the gentle art of lying. Thesoaring kiteof his imagination reaches, perhaps, its dizziest height when dealing with the venerable Prisoner of the Vatican. Many a time and oft has he slain the Pope, or placed him, at least, in articulo viortis. Ind yet Leo XIII. persists in living on and doing the work of three ordinary men. The cable-man's latest exploit is to make the Holy Father appoint his own successor. The general public are not aware that such a proceeding is in rank opposition to ecclesiastical law. It is even commonly held by theologians that it would be contrary to Divine law. The following brief account of the method of electing a Pope will show how hopelessly wide of the mark the sapient Rome agent of the Press Association has been : On the death of the Pope, the Cardinal Chamberlain assumes control of the Vatican, views the body, draws up and publishes a certificate of death, and communicates the news to the foreign Governments and the Cardinals who aie not present in the Eternal City. The boiy of the deceased Pope is embalmed, and removed to the Vatican Basilica, where the solemn public funeral services ure continued for nine days. The conclave for the election of his successor is usually summoned for the tenth day by the Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals. This body consists, when full, of 70 members, but the number is very rarely complete. The Pope is elected by them alone. Th^y are, as Charles Sumner said in the American .Senate, the oldest elector, il assemblage in the world. The conclave, or elt ction under lojk and key (cum clave} was adopted in 1271 in order to expedite the much -delayed appointment of a Pope (the Blessed Gregory X) It has been in operation ever since. Mass of the Holy Ghost is,

celebrated in St. Peter's for light to select a wise ruler for the Church. The Cardinals assist at it and afterwards solemnly swear, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, to faithfully observe all rules governing the election. They then proceed to the magnificent Pauline apartments of the Vatican, where the next election will take place. The apartment will be partitioned off into cells for the use of the Cardinals and their attendants — valets, barbers, waiters, physicians, etc., all of whom are solemnly sworn not to divulge the proceedings of the conclave. All the doors of the conclave chambers are then walled up, except one, which is left open for the introduction of food, for the admission of any Cardinal who comes late, or for the exit of any one compelled by illness or other cause to leave. This door is locked both on the inside and the outside, and is opened only on the most urgent necessity. The utmost precautions are used to prevent any external influences being exercised upon the free and proper election of a Pope. The food passed into the conclavists is minutely examined so fchat no missives or communication from the outside world may reaoh them. The Cardinals completely ignore all relations with the secular governments during the proceedings of the conclave. Should a Cardinal leave the conclave, even through illness, he thereby forfeits the right to vote. After Mass a vote is taken. The system of ballot, though very old, is described as ' a premonition of the Australian system. Papers identical in size, shape, colour, and absolutely devoid of distinguishing mark of any kind, are distributed among the membei s. These ballots are so folded that the name of the person voting cannot be *een, and the readers who report the result observe only the name of the person for whom the ballot is cast.' The paper is folded and sealed with the conclave seal. Then each Cardinal kneels in turn at the high altar and repeats the following oath : ' I call to witness Christ the Lord, Who will judge me, that I elect him whom before God I judge ought to be elected, and which I shall make good in the acci'xsus? He then deposits his ballot in a large chalice placed upon the altar. All the Cardinals present must vote, otherwise the ballot is illegal. Absent members of the Sacred College are not permitted fco vote. No proxies are allo vei, and no Cardinal may vote for himself. A majority of two-thirds is required for an election. Should the morning ballot give no result, the Cardinals talk the matter over during th«,day, and another ballot is cast at two o'clock. Vfter each ballot the voting papers are burned. And so on each lay until a decision is arrived at. This ' scrutiny ' is the usual form : but sometimes there is an election by ' acclamation ' ; at other time* by accessus — referred to above — that is, when some C irdinals. who have hitherto voted for one candidate, pass over to m >ther whom a majority evidently favours. When the election is complete the selected Cardinal chooses the title by which he is to he known ; the oth rs pay their homage to him ; they come forth in procession from the conclave -chamber ; from the balcony of St. Peters the Cardinal- Deacon announces the new Pope; and the function closes with the singing of a grand Te Deu7» in the Sistine Chapel. If the new Pope is not alrealy a bishop, he is consecrated by the Cardinal Bishop of O.^tia. The coronation follows, when, amidst solemn and touching ceremonial, the new Pope is presented with the tiara or triple crown.