As Pope Francis continues to fight double pneumonia in hospital, many have begun to wonder what the method can be if he were to step down on health grounds like his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.
The method the Catholic Church uses to pick out their leader has remained virtually unchanged for the last 800 years. The system is often known as the ‘Papal Conclave,’ and might be used once more to pick out the following Pope when the time comes.
The system is democratic with a powerful emphasis on working through multiple rounds of voting until a transparent consensus emerges. Under the present rules, only Cardinals under the age of 80 are allowed to forged a vote.
Officially candidates for Pope need only be male and Catholic although in point of fact Pontiffs have only ever been chosen from the ranks of Cardinals for hundreds of years.
There’s no age limit on who can turn into Pope, but Francis was 76 when he took up the position, and is now 88. Benedict before him was 78, and was Pope for under eight years before his surprise retirement aged 85.
To begin the method, there’s a special morning mass, after which the 120 Cardinals of voting age would gather contained in the exquisitely decorated Sistine Chapel – home of all of the Papal Conclaves since 1858.
Later within the day, the shout “extra omnes” (everybody out) rings out and the Cardinals – who’re sworn to an oath of secrecy – might be locked contained in the Conclave until they will select a successor.
There isn’t any guarantee that the primary round of voting might be revealed the identical day. Through a combination of speeches, prayer, reflection – and intense political jostling – Cardinals whittle down candidates through successive rounds of voting.
The Cardinals themselves sit on either side of the Sistine Chapel. The names of nine Cardinals are chosen at random to officiate and organise the vote. Three turn into Scrutineers, whose job it’s to oversee the vote. Three more collect the votes and three more revise them.
A Pope is barely elected when a single candidate receives a two-thirds majority. Sometimes Pope’s are chosen quickly when a powerful candidate emerges. However from the thirty fourth ballot onwards, the Conclave only votes between the 2 front runners who gained essentially the most votes within the previous round. Incidentally the longest Papal Conclave, within the late thirteenth century, lasted the most effective a part of three years because of massive political infighting. Three voting Cardinals died in the course of the process.
The ballot itself is secret and was introduced on 1621 by Gregory XV to attempt to avoid overt politicking however the Conclave is inevitably a hotbed of competing factions who want to see their man come out on top. During each ballot Cardinals write the name of their selection, ideally in distorted handwriting to disguise their identity.
The ballot papers are then burned in a small fire contained in the Sistine Chapel. The black smoke which is produced by the hearth tells the crowds waiting outside that a recent Pope has yet to be chosen.
When one candidate has finally won two-thirds of the vote a recent Pope is elected. The Cardinal Dean then calls the candidate to the front of the chapel and asks whether or not they are willing to just accept. If the reply is yes, the brand new Pope is then asked to decide on his recent Papal name.
Although the Pope is seen because the successor of St Peter, none have chosen Peter for his or her Papal name, partly to avoid comparisons to the founder the Roman Catholic Church and partly due to an ancient prophecy that a recent Pope called Peter will precede the top of the world.
With a Pope now duly elected the ballot papers are burned over again with an additive placed in the hearth that turns the smoke white informing the world that a recent Pontiff has been chosen.
In the weeks leading as much as the Conclave Vatican tailors get to work on creating three Papal robes in small, medium and huge. The recent Pope is led into the Room of Tears adjoining to the Sistine Chapel where he dons his recent white robes and red slippers.
The Pope is then presented to the crowds who’ve gathered within the Vatican from the important balcony of St Peter’s Basilica with the famous words: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!” (I announce to you with great joy we now have a Pope.)
