Sistine Chapel

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Video : Beginning of 2005 Papal Conclave

For those who are interested in knowing what to expect on Tuesday afternoon, 12 March 2013 when the Conclave officially begins, with the Cardinal-electors marching into the Sistine Chapel, here is a video recording from the 2005 Papal Conclave. Not a very good quality, so I hope they do make a better recording for 2013 Papal conclave.

You can clearly see the Dean of the College of Cardinals at the time in the video, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was elected Pope in that Conclave, and whom we knew better as our beloved Pope Benedict XVI, now Pope Emeritus.

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Missa pro Eligendo Pontifice/Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff and the beginning of the Conclave

Both events are live from Rome, at Vatican Player, http://www.vatican.va/video/ and I believe are also covered live by several Catholic televisions in the USA, Canada, and other countries.

 

1. Missa pro Eligendo Pontifice / Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff

The Cardinals present in Rome, all the Cardinal-electors that will be entering the Conclave, will first gather for a Solemn Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday morning, 12 March 2013 at 10 am Rome time (CET or UTC+1). The Mass will be lead by the Cardinal Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who is a non-elector.

Time in other parts of the world :

Tuesday, 12 March 2013 at 9 am UTC // 4 am EST // 1 am PST // 4 pm WIB or UTC+7 // 5 pm Singapore time or UTC+8

 

2. Beginning of the Conclave : Entry of the Cardinal-electors into the Sistine Chapel

The Cardinal-electors will assemble in Pauline Chapel on Tuesday afternoon, and the event will begin live at 4.30 pm Rome time (CET or UTC+1). The Cardinals will wear their full choir dress and then will proceed into the Sistine Chapel while singing the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus to invoke the Holy Spirit.

Then in the Sistine Chapel, the Cardinal-electors will take their oath, beginning with the senior Cardinal Bishop-elector, Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re, who leads the Conclave, and then the famous ‘extra omnes’ or ‘everybody else out’ order will be said by the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations, Monsignor Guido Marini.

Time in other parts of the world :

Tuesday, 12 March 2013 at 3.30 pm UTC // 10.30 am EST // 7.30 am PST // 11.30 pm WIB or UTC+7 //  Wednesday, 00.30 am Singapore time or UTC+8

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Tenth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals and the Oath taking of the personnels involved in the Conclave

The tenth and most likely last of the General Congregation meetings of the College of Cardinals will take place on Monday, 11 March 2013 in the usual Hall of the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican City.

As the Cardinal-electors had all been assigned their rooms in the Domus Sancta Marthae, their residence during the Conclave, the Tenth General Congregation is likely therefore as the last opportunity for the Cardinals, both electors and non-electors to raise any remaining issues or clarify the need for certain qualities in the new Pope to be elected, as well as completing any outstanding issues before the Conclave commence on Tuesday, 12 March 2013.

Fr. Federico Lombardi, head of the Holy See Press Office, will conduct his usual press briefing at 1 pm, Rome time, on Monday, most likely to divulge the outcome of the Tenth General Congregation and likely to answer any remaining questions the journalists have on the Conclave.

In the evening, at 5.30 pm Rome time (CET/UTC+1) on Monday, 11 March 2013, live from Rome at Vatican Player (www.vatican.va/video/) can be viewed the oath-taking of all the personnels involved in the Conclave and locked together with the Cardinal-electors.

They will take the same oath as the Cardinal-electors (who will only take the oath when they enter the Conclave the next day, Tuesday), as prescribed by the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas released by Pope Benedict XVI to modify the rules of the Conclave as written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis.

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My Guide to the Papal Conclave : Part III (From the election of the new Pope to the Urbi et Orbi blessing by the new Pope)

Part II here : https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2013/03/09/my-guide-to-the-papal-conclave-part-ii-from-the-beginning-to-the-election-of-the-new-pope/

 

1. After the new Pope had accepted his election as Pope and leader of the Roman Catholic Church, there are several scenarios :

 

a. If he is already a bishop : The new Pope will immediately be the Bishop of Rome and leader of the Universal Church, the Successor of St. Peter the Apostle. Then he will immediately accept the homage of the Cardinal-electors gathered in the Conclave, after he changes his cardinal’s robes for the new, white papal robes in the Room of Tears.

b. If he is not yet a bishop : The new Pope will need to be immediately ordained a bishop following the proper order of the Ordination of bishops, and the senior Cardinal Bishop by seniority in the Conclave should be the principal consecrator. The new Pope can only receive homage of the Cardinals after his ordination to the episcopate (after he had been ordained a bishop).

 

2. The new Pope then leaves the Sistine Chapel main hall where the voting took place, into the special ‘Room of Tears’, where three sets of differently-sized white papal robes had been prepared for him to adjust to his size. The new Pope changes from his cardinal’s red robes into the white papal robes and then return to the main hall of the Sistine Chapel.

 

3. The new Pope, after dressed in the white papal robes (with the red mozzetta and the large state stole) will then receive the homage of all the Cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel.

 

4. New addition in 2013 Conclave : After the homage, the new Pope will proceed with all the Cardinal-electors from the Sistine Chapel to the Pauline Chapel. The new Pope will enter the Pauline Chapel alone, and pray before the Blessed Sacrament in the Chapel.

 

5. In the meanwhile, the most senior Cardinal in the order of deacons, that is the Cardinal Protodeacon (Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran for the 2013 conclave) will then appear at the Loggia or the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to deliver the announcement of the election of a new Pope.

 

The formula :

The Cardinal Protodeacon will first greet the assembled people in St. Peter’s Square and throughout the world (done in 2005 conclave in different languages) :

1. Italian : Fratelli e sorelle carissimi

2. Spanish : Queridísimos hermanos y hermanas

3. French : Bien chers frères et sœurs

4. German : Liebe Brüder und Schwestern

5. English : Dear brothers and sisters

 

Then he continues :

Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum

I announce to you a great joy

 

Habemus Papam!

We have a Pope!

 

Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum

The most eminent and reverend Lord

 

Dominum (New Pope’s first name/baptismal name) Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem (New Pope’s surname)

Lord (New Pope’s first name/baptismal name) Cardinal (New Pope’s surname) of the Holy Roman Church

 

Qui sibi nomen imposuit (New Pope’s chosen regnal name and number)

Who takes for himself the name of (New Pope’s chosen regnal name and number)

 

5. After this, after a moment, the new Pope, led by a processional crucifix, made his appearance at the same balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. He then may deliver his first address as Pope to the people gathered at the Square, and to the world.

 

6. After the address, then the new Pope will give his Urbi et Orbi special blessing (For the city of Rome (Urbi) and the world (Orbi)), with which is attached plenary indulgence, that is the forgiveness of all temporal sins, providing the people participates in full faith and repentance.

 

The text of the Urbi et Orbi blessing (Latin):

Sancti Apostoli Petrus et Paulus: de quorum potestate et auctoritate confidimus ipsi intercedant pro nobis ad Dominum.

(Amen)

Precibus et meritis beatæ Mariae semper Virginis, beati Michaelis Archangeli, beati Ioannis Baptistæ, et sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli et omnium Sanctorum misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus; et dimissis omnibus peccatis vestris, perducat vos Iesus Christus ad vitam æternam.

(Amen)

Indulgentiam, absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum, spatium verae et fructuosae poenitentiæ, cor semper penitens, et emendationem vitae, gratiam et consolationem Sancti Spiritus; et finalem perseverantiam in bonis operibus tribuat vobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.

(Amen)

Et benedictio Dei omnipotentis, Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti descendat super vos et maneat semper.

(Amen)

 

Text of Urbi et Orbi blessing (English)

May the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, in whose power and authority we have confidence, intercede on our behalf to the Lord.

(Amen)

Through the prayers and merits of the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of Blessed John the Baptist, and of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the saints, may Almighty God have mercy on you, and with your sins forgiven, may Jesus Christ lead you into everlasting life.

(Amen)

May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant you indulgence, absolution, and remission of all your sins, time for a true and fruitful penance, an always repentant heart and amendment of life, the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit, and final perseverance in good works.

(Amen)

And may the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, descend on you and remain with you always.

(Amen)

 

7. Then the new Pope takes his leave of the people, and return inside St. Peter’s Basilica. The long process of electing a new Pope is over, and the new Pope is now in charge in leading God’s Church in his given mission as the Successor of St. Peter the Apostle.

 

8. The Papal Inauguration Mass will take place several days after the election (does not have to be on a Sunday), to allow for the foreign dignitaries invited to the event to be able to arrive, to attend the Papal Inauguration Mass. The new Pope will receive his signs of office in this Inauguration, namely, the pallium and the Ring of the Fisherman. The Papal Inauguration most likely will take place at St. Peter’s Square.

 

9. The new Pope will take possession of his Cathedral, in an enthronement ceremony at the Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome (The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, and contrary to popular perceptions, St. Peter’s Basilica is not a Cathedral). The Cathedral of Rome is the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran

Complete name (Latin) : Archibasilica Sanctissimi Salvatoris et Sanctorum Ioannes Baptista et Evangelista in Laterano, Omnium urbis et orbis Ecclesiarum Mater et Caput

Complete name (English) : Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour, Saint John the Baptist, and Saint John the Evangelist in Lateran, Head and Mother Church of All the City and the Whole World

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My Guide to the Papal Conclave : Part II (From the beginning of the Conclave to the election of the new Pope)

Part I here : https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2013/03/09/my-guide-to-the-papal-conclave-part-i-from-before-to-the-conclave-to-its-beginning/

 

1. The Conclave begins after selected prayer done by each of the Cardinal-electors, after which then the Cardinal Dean or the senior Cardinal Bishop who is an elector (Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re) who will then ask if there is any need to confirm and re-explain the rules of the Conclave as written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, and the modifications made by the two Motu Proprios released by Pope Benedict XVI, or whether the election can begin immediately without any issue.

If there is no questions raised or no request for reiteration of the rules, then the balloting to elect the new Pope can begin in earnest.

 

2. According to the Apostolic Constitution, Universi Dominici Gregis, the election of the new Pope can only be done by scrutiny, that is through secret ballot, in which each of the Cardinal-electors write the name of the Cardinal or the person the Cardinal-elector wishes to vote for as his candidate for the Papacy.

 

3. Pre-Scrutiny period : Three Cardinal-electors are selected as Scrutineers, another three as Infirmarii, and another three as the Revisers. All selections are done by drawing of lots among the Cardinal-electors. Their duties are :

 

a. Scrutineers : Add up all the votes that the Cardinal-electors have submitted, and if noone obtains two-thirds of the vote, no Pope has been elected, but otherwise, the new Pope had been elected, with a necessary minimum of more than two-thirds of the vote of all the Cardinal-electors (For 2013 conclave, this requires at least 77 votes).

b. Infirmarii : Carry the voting slips for the Cardinal-electors who are sick and therefore unable to attend the voting directly in the Sistine Chapel. Their task is to obtain the votes from the ill Cardinal-electors and then place them in a sealed container and bring the votes back to the Sistine Chapel to be tallied by the Scrutineers with the rest of the votes.

c. Revisers : Revisers act to check the calculation and tallies made by the Scrutineers to ensure that all the calculations are done meticulously, faithfully, and without any modifications or changes.

 

4. Scrutiny Proper : The Cardinal-electors receive two or three ballot slips each, with a blank line representing the place where they should place the name of the person they wish to vote for (only one name allowed, otherwise that ballot is invalid). They write the name, and then they bring it one by one to the receptacle on the Altar of the Sistine Chapel for the votes, in the presence of the Scrutineers, and before they place the ballot slip, they recite the words :

Testor Christum Dominum, qui me iudicaturus est, me eum eligere, quem secundum Deum iudico eligi debere.

I call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected.

Then they place the ballot slip into the receptacle, and then return to their respective places.

 

5. Once the ballot slips are all collected, the first Scrutineer shake the container to mix the votes, and then the last Scrutineer must count the number of votes inside the receptacle. The number of votes must tally with the number of Cardinal-electors (to avoid double-voting). If the number tallies correctly, the counting of the votes can begin. Otherwise, the votes are burned, and a second vote must immediately be taken.

 

6. For the vote counting, the first Scrutineer take one ballot paper, unfolding it, and taking note the name on the ballot, then pass the ballot to the second Scrutineer, who also takes note the name on the ballot, and then passing the ballot again to the third Scrutineer, who will then read the name on the ballot aloud to all the Cardinal-electors.

Only one ballot paper is allowed in each. If two ballot papers had been folded to make it look like one ballot, then if the name on both papers are the same, they count only as one vote. But if the names are different, they are invalid.

 

7. Once all the ballots are accounted for, and the names in them had been read out, the ballot papers are then secured together with a string to ensure that all the papers are in order, and the total votes are tallied together in order to get the number of votes that particular candidates receive in that voting session.

If no one receives more than two-thirds of the vote, then there is no new Pope elected.

If someone receives more than two-thirds of the vote, then a new Pope had been elected.

 

8. On the first day of the conclave, only one afternoon ballot may be held. Then if there is no Pope elected on that day, four ballots are held in the following days, with two ballot sessions in the morning, and two ballot sessions in the afternoon, until a new Pope is elected when someone receives more than two-thirds of the vote.

 

9. If after three days there had been no Pope elected, the voting session is suspended for maximum of one day to allow time for prayer and reflection among the Cardinal-electors, to allow them to discern carefully on their choices and pray for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in electing a candidate as the new Pope.

Seven ballots occur afterwards, and if the Conclave has yet been able to elect a new Pope by then, another day is taken for the same break period for prayer, which is then followed by another seven ballots, and then break if the Conclave still yet fails to elect a new Pope, and so on and so forth until the new Pope had been elected.

If until 30 ballots had passed, and no one has been elected as the new Pope, the Cardinal Camerlengo will ask the Cardinal-electors on how to best proceed with the election of the new Pope. With the Motu Proprio released by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007, the provision allowing the Cardinals to go into absolute majority (50% + 1 vote) had been removed, and therefore election will definitely have to be settled with more than two-thirds majority.

After that discussion (after the 30th ballot), the two names with the greatest number of votes will be selected, and if the two names belong to the Cardinal-electors, these two Cardinal-electors lose their right to vote in the next ballot, in which this ballot will only include these two names. The new Pope however has to be still elected by two-thirds majority out of these two names. (This is to avoid a certain group of Cardinal-electors who fail to secure two-thirds majority for their candidate to stall the conclave so that they can elect their candidate by absolute majority as previously allowed by the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, but such provision was removed by Pope Benedict XVI’s 2007 Motu Proprio).

 

10. After two ballots (in the morning, and in the afternoon), the votes from both ballot sessions in the morning or in the afternoon, immediately after the second ballot session (morning/afternoon) is burnt at the special stoves prepared for that purpose. Colouring chemicals are then used to make the smoke either black or white depending whether a new Pope had been elected or not.

The smoke will then come out from the chimney linked to the stoves, which is placed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, and will be the first sign for the outside world whether a new Pope had been elected. The bells of St. Peter’s Basilica and churches around Rome will also be rung when a new Pope had been elected.

Black smoke (la fumata nera) : No new Pope had been elected, more ballots to go.

White smoke (la fumata bianca) : A new Pope had been elected, and the Conclave has ended.

 

11. When a new Pope had been elected, the Cardinal Dean, or his Vice Dean if the Dean is elected Pope (as the case in 2005 conclave when Cardinal Dean, Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope), or the senior Cardinal Bishop present in the Conclave as an elector (Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re), will then approach the newly elected Pope, and ask him the formula of the acceptance :

Acceptasne electionem de te canonice factam in Summum Pontificem?

Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?

 

He will then answer “Accepto or I accept” if he accepts his election as Pope.

 

Then he will be asked :

Quo nomine vis vocari?

By what name do you wish to be called?

 

The new Pope will then answer the name he wish to be called (Benedict for Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI, as there had been 15 other Popes named Benedict before him).

 

The names that the Popes had used in the past two centuries (from 1800) and what they will be like if the new Pope uses them in parenthesis :

1. John (John XXIV)

2. Benedict (Benedict XVII)

3. John Paul (John Paul III)

4. Paul (Paul VII)

5. Pius (Pius XIII)

6. Leo (Leo XIV)

7. Gregory (Gregory XVII)

 

12. After the newly elected Pope accepts his election, the Conclave ends, unless the new Pope says otherwise.

 

Continue to Part III here : https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2013/03/09/my-guide-to-the-papal-conclave-part-iii-from-the-election-of-the-new-pope-to-the-urbi-et-orbi-blessing-by-the-new-pope/

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My Guide to the Papal Conclave : Part I (From before the Conclave to its beginning)

What will happen inside the Conclave, from before the Cardinal-electors enter the Sistine Chapel and be sealed from the outside world, until a new Pope had been elected? Follow the proceedings of the Conclave step-by-step as I explained them here in three parts (Part I, Part II, and Part III) :

 

1. Before the Conclave, the Cardinals gather in the General Congregations, or meetings where they will raise issues and discuss these matters pertaining to the Church, its governance, and many other matters they may want to bring up to attention to the whole College of Cardinals.

Of great importance is also the necessary and wanted qualities in the next Pope, which will therefore allow the Cardinals to make an informed decision on who to elect. Then finally, the General Congregation also decides the date of the Conclave, when they will actually enter the Sistine Chapel and begin the Conclave officially.

The Conclave can begin only after 15 days of the vacancy of the Apostolic See, but must not begin later than 20 days after the vacancy according to the rules governing the Conclave as written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis. However, the provision provided by the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas allow the Cardinals to begin the Conclave less than 15 days from the date when the Apostolic See became vacant, providing that all the Cardinal-electors that will take part in the Conclave had all arrived in Rome by then.

The Cardinal-electors will also be assigned their rooms in their residence throughout the Conclave period, the Domus Sancta Marthae by the means of random lots.

 

2. Particular Congregations also meet during this period before the Conclave, led by Cardinal leaders elected every 3 days, to discuss issues within specific groups within the College of Cardinals, and to complement the General Congregation meetings.

Unlike the General Congregation meeting which can be attended by Cardinal-electors and non-electors (those above the age of 80) alike, Particular Congregations are only attended by Cardinal-electors, and unlike General Congregation which meets before the Conclave, the Particular Congregations continue into the Conclave.

 

3. Before the Conclave begins, the Cardinals gather and celebrate together the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff or the Missa pro Eligendo Pontifice in St. Peter’s Basilica, to pray for the successful election of the new Pope in the Conclave.

 

4. Then the Cardinals gather in the Pauline Chapel just before the start of the Conclave in complete choir dress (biretta and mozzetta), and then lead by the Cardinal Dean of the College of Cardinals (currently Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who is a non-elector, and therefore he will not join the Conclave after that) or the most senior Cardinal Bishop who is an elector (Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re), they proceed into the Sistine Chapel while singing together the Hymn Veni Creator Spirit, to invoke the Holy Spirit, and also the Litany of the Saints to ask the prayer from the holy Saints of God on the Cardinal-electors in the election of the new Pope.

The Cardinals will proceed in reverse order of precedence, beginning with the most junior Cardinal Deacon, to the most senior Cardinal Deacon, and then the most junior Cardinal Priest, and to the most senior Cardinal Priest, and then the most junior Cardinal Bishop to the most senior Cardinal Bishop. The last will be the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations (Monsignor Guido Marini) and the Cardinal Dean (In 2013 conclave, as the Cardinal Dean, Cardinal Angelo Sodano is over 80 and thus is not an elector, he was replaced with the most senior Cardinal Bishop who is an elector, in this case, Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re).

 

5. Once in the Sistine Chapel, the Cardinal-Dean or the senior Cardinal Bishop-elector will then read out aloud the oath that all the Cardinals have to take, according to the formula written in the Apostolic Constitution, Universi Dominici Gregis, and with the modifications made by the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas, all the other personnels involved in the Conclave, and sealed inside the Conclave also have to take the same oath. Then the Cardinal-electors by their order of precedence, march one by one to an open Book of the Gospels, to make the oath by touching their hands on the Gospels and solemnly vow to keep the oath.

 

The oath in Latin :

Ego N. N. promitto et iuro me inviolate servaturum esse secretum absolutum cum omnibus quotquot participes non sunt Collegii Cardinalium electorum, hoc quidem in perpetuum, nisi mihi datur expresse peculiaris facultas a novo Pontifice electo eiusve Successoribus, in omnibus quae directe vel indirecte respiciunt suffragia et scrutinia ad novum Pontificem eligendum.

Itemque promitto et iuro me nullo modo in Conclavi usurum esse instrumentis quibuslibet ad vocem transmittendam vel recipiendam aut ad imagines exprimendas quovis modo aptis de iis quae tempore electionis fiunt intra fines Civitatis Vaticanae, atque praecipue de iis quae quolibet modo directe vel indirecte attinent ad negotia coniuncta cum ipsa electione. Declaro me editurum esse ius iurandum utpote qui plane noverim quamlibet eius violationem adducturam esse excommunicationis mihi poenam latae sententiae Sedi Apostolicae reservatae.

Sic me Deus adiuvet et haec sancta Dei Evangelia, quae manu mea tango.

The oath in English :

I, N.N., promise and swear that, unless I should receive a special faculty given expressly by the newly-elected Pontiff or by his successors, I will observe absolute and perpetual secrecy with all who are not part of the College of Cardinal electors concerning all matters directly or indirectly related to the ballots cast and their scrutiny for the election of the Supreme Pontiff.

I likewise promise and swear to refrain from using any audio or video equipment capable of recording anything which takes place during the period of the election within Vatican City, and in particular anything which in any way, directly or indirectly, is related to the process of the election itself.

I declare that I take this oath fully aware that an infraction thereof will incur the penalty of automatic (‘latae sententiae’) excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.

So help me God and these Holy Gospels which I touch with my hand.

6. After all the Cardinal-electors and the personnel locked inside the Conclave had taken their oath, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations (Monsignor Guido Marini) will stand at the door of the Sistine Chapel, and all the people not sealed in the Conclave are asked to leave, with the traditional pronouncement, “extra omnes” that means “All/Everybody else, out!”

 

7. The Master of the Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Monsignor Marini will stay behind for a while, while the second meditation is delivered by the ecclesiastic chosen to do so (Cardinal Prosper Grech, Cardinal non-elector from Malta) to the Cardinal-electors.

After the second meditation is completed, both the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations and the ecclesiastic will leave the Sistine Chapel, and the Conclave will officially begin, and the Sistine Chapel closed off to all except the Cardinal-electors and those sealed with them during the duration of the Conclave.

 

Continue to Part II here : https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2013/03/09/my-guide-to-the-papal-conclave-part-ii-from-the-beginning-to-the-election-of-the-new-pope/

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Press briefing on the conclusion of the General Congregations of the College of Cardinals

The Ninth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals have been concluded this Saturday morning, 9 March 2013, and as the date of the beginning of the Conclave came closer (Tuesday, 12 March 2013), Fr. Federico Lombardi, head of the Holy See Press Office clarifies certain matters involving the sede vacante period and the upcoming Conclave.

The Conclave will be preceded by a Solemn Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff or the Missa pro Eligendo Pontifice/Papa on Tuesday morning, 12 March 2013 in St. Peter’s Basilica, and then on the same day, Tuesday, in the afternoon, the Cardinals will proceed into the Sistine Chapel to officially begin the Conclave.

The famous chimney which will release the signal whether a new Pope had been elected, had been installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel on Friday morning, after long work by the technicians in the installing the two stoves where the ballots will be burned after the ballots, and the chimney itself, linked directly to the stoves inside the Sistine Chapel.

The Ring of Fisherman, two papal stamps bearing the image of the Ring of the Fisherman, and the master lead seal, also bearing the Ring’s image, which is used for major documents, have been decommissioned by defacement of the Ring’s image, and therefore while the Ring of the Fisherman has not been completely destroyed,

A commission has been created to ensure that the Conclave has indeed been sealed entirely from the outside world, with no external portal of entry and ensuring that no one tampers with the seal of the Conclave until a new Pope had been elected. Strong frequency and signal jammers had also been installed to prevent any wiretapping and bugging of the Sistine Chapel and the areas where the Cardinals will reside throughout the Conclave.

It is noted that if the Conclave has not been successful to elect a new Pope after three full days (a new Pope can only be elected if he receives more than two-thirds of all the votes of the Cardinal-electors, or 77 votes), the voting sessions will be adjourned for a day of prayer and reflection, so that in the event of the upcoming voting sessions, the Cardinals can gain a new inspiration of the Holy Spirit and therefore hopefully elect a new Pope as soon as possible.

The Motu Proprio released earlier by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 has modified the rules of the election as written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, as it no longer allows the Cardinal-electors to revert to an absolute majority system once a certain number of days have passed (many days), and the Motu Proprio once again made the election of the new Pope by two-thirds majority alone.

The bells of St. Peter’s Basilica and also the other bells of the churches throughout Rome will also be rung once the new Pope had been elected, just as they were in 2005 conclave, to reinforce and affirm the white smoke signal released through the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

About 45 minutes or more may pass between the election of the new Pope and his appearance on the Loggia or the balcony of the St. Peter’s Basilica, as there are rites that the new Pope had to go through in the time between, beginning with the acceptance of the election, the entry into the Room of Tears where the Pope will change into his new white Papal cassock, and then homage from all the Cardinals, and of course the announcement of the Habemus Papam by the Cardinal Protodeacon, Jean-Louis Tauran himself, before the new Pope will make his appearance on the balcony.

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Ninth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals : Saturday, 9 March 2013

The ninth and probably the last of the General Congregations of the College of Cardinals will take place on Saturday morning at 9.30 am, 9 March 2013, and may be used as an opportunity to clear up outstanding matters and issues, and to help the Cardinals to affirm what they are looking as the characteristics needed in the new Pope, which they will elect in the Conclave that will begin on Tuesday, 12 March 2013.

Now that the date of the Conclave has already been decided, the remaining matter to be completed is to assign the rooms in the Domus Sancta Marthae where the Cardinals will stay during the duration of the Conclave. The room assignment is done by lots and therefore is random, and may be done in the Ninth General Congregation this morning.

The Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff or the Missa pro Eligendo Pontifice, has also been confirmed to take place at St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday morning before the commencement of the Conclave on Tuesday afternoon, when the Cardinals will march into the Sistine Chapel and henceforth be ‘closed-off’ from the outside world until the new Pope is elected.

Fr. Federico Lombardi, head of the Holy See Press Office will give his usual press briefing on Saturday afternoon at 1pm Rome time (1 pm CET // 12 pm UTC // 7 am EST // 4 am PST // 7 pm WIB or UTC+7 // 8 pm Singapore time or UTC+8).

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(Official) Conclave to begin on Tuesday, 12 March 2013

http://www.news.va/en/news/conclave-to-begin-tuesday-march-12th

The College of Cardinals have voted on the starting date of the conclave, and had decided in the Eighth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals, which takes place on Friday evening 8 March 2013, that the Conclave will begin on Tuesday, 12 March 2013 in the afternoon.

The Mass for the Election of the Roman Ponfiff or the Missa pro Eligendo Pontifice will be celebrated at St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday morning, 12 March 2013.

Let us pray for the Cardinal-electors going into the Conclave, that God will guide them through the Holy Spirit to make a careful and well-discerned choice to elect our new Pope, to be the shepherd of the Universal Church.

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(Update) Summary of the Fifth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals : Thursday, 7 March 2013

http://www.news.va/en/news/general-congregations-with-all-electors-present-st

Rumour had mentioned that the St. Peter’s Basilica is booked for the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff (Missa pro Eligendo Pontifice), but has been dismissed as untrue by Fr. Federico Lombardi, head of the Holy See Press Office.

152 Cardinals attended the Fifth General Congregation, with 114 Cardinal-electors attending. The last Cardinal-elector to arrive, Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh-Man of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam will arrive in time to attend the Sixth General Congregation on Thursday evening.

New Particular Congregation leaders are elected to aid the Camerlengo during this period with term of 3 days each cycle. Particular Congregation is only limited to Cardinal-electors and divided into three groups depending on the orders of the Cardinals (Bishops, priests, or deacons), and also scheduled to meet among themselves for discussions.

1. Cardinal Bishops : Cardinal Bechara Rai (Cardinal-Patriarch)

2. Cardinal Priests : Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kinshasa, Zaire

3. Cardinal Deacons : Cardinal Velasio de Paolis

Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano has also read and sent the letter of condolence to the late Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez.