A conclave to pick out the brand new head of the Catholic Church is now underway following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday.
The transition process involves an intricate series of rituals and has remained largely unchanged for 800 years.
It governs the transfer of power for each the spiritual leader of the worldwide Catholic Church and the top of the Vatican state.
Understanding the important thing terminology surrounding this transition is crucial to navigating the news in the approaching days.
Here is the lowdown on the important thing terms and players involved within the conclave.
Who is the Vatican camerlengo?
This is the “chamberlain”, the cardinal in control of formally verifying the pope’s death, after which sealing his room and study.
Between then and the election of the brand new pope, the camerlengo administers the “goods and temporal rights” of the Holy See.
The current one is the Irish-born American Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
Who is within the College of Cardinals?
There are 252 cardinals worldwide, and as a body, they’re in control of the Holy See’s affairs in-between popes, albeit with limits. Of them, 135 are “cardinal electors,” who gather within the Vatican to decide on the brand new pope.
For centuries, they’ve chosen one among their very own. The overwhelming majority of the electors — 108 — were made cardinals by Pope Francis, based on Vatican statistics.
What is the conclave?
This is the closed-door meeting of the cardinal electors to decide on the brand new pope within the Sistine Chapel. Its name, literally “with a key,” was utilized in the thirteenth century to explain the strategy of locking up the cardinals until the election was accomplished.
It must begin not more than 20 days after the death or resignation of a pope.
The electors are sequestered from all outsiders for the duration; the last three popes were chosen inside days.
Who is the dean of the College of Cardinals?
The current dean is Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. He is the top of the College of Cardinals who informs the remainder of the cardinals and the ambassadors to the Holy See of the pope’s death once he learns of it from the camerlengo.
He convenes the conclave and presides because the electors take their oaths. Once a latest pope is chosen, the dean asks him if he accepts and what name he desires to be called.
What is the Domus Santa Marta?
This Vatican guesthouse, inbuilt 1996, specifically houses cardinals during a conclave and is used at other times as a hotel for visiting priests and Vatican officials.
Pope Francis never moved out after he was elected pope, selecting to live in suite 201, somewhat than the papal apartments within the Apostolic Palace.
What does ‘extra omnes’ mean?
A Latin phrase for “all out,” it’s spoken by the master for papal liturgical celebrations, currently Italian Archbishop Diego Ravelli, to ask all those present except the cardinal electors to go away the Sistine Chapel to start the voting process throughout the conclave.
Why is the pope’s ring called the fisherman’s ring?
Each pope gets this ring on the Mass marking the start of his pontificate. It bears this name because Jesus told St. Peter, the primary pope, that he could be “a fisher of men.”
Until the Nineties, it was destroyed upon a pope’s death. Now, it’s “annulled,” or marked in such a way that it may’t be used as a seal.
What are the General Congregations?
This is the name given to the gathering of all members of the College of Cardinals after the pope’s death and before the beginning of the conclave to debate major church affairs.
All cardinals who aren’t infirm participate on this meeting within the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. They also discuss preparations for the conclave, under oath and in secret.
What does it mean after they say, ‘Habemus Papam’?
This Latin phrase translates to “We have a pope.”
These are the words utilized by the “protodeacon” of the College of Cardinals to announce from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica that a latest pope has been elected. He then says the brand new pope’s birth name and the name he has chosen to make use of as pope, also in Latin. The current protodeacon is French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti.
Who are the infirmarii?
These are the three cardinals, chosen by a random drawing from the electors, who’re charged with gathering the ballots of any electors who’re in poor health throughout the conclave.
What does Pope Francis’ motto ‘miserando atque eligendo’ mean?
This is Latin for “having had mercy and selecting him” — a phrase that Francis selected as his motto when he was elevated to bishop and kept as his papal seal.
It was drawn from the homilies of St. Bede the Venerable, an Eighth-century monk. It comes from the Gospel narrative of St. Matthew, a tax collector whom Jesus called to follow him.
Who are the revisers?
These are the three cardinals, chosen by random drawing from the electors, who’re charged with reviewing the ballots throughout the conclave.
What is a rogito?
This is the document, or “deed,” listing key details of the pope’s life and papacy that’s placed in his coffin.
It’s written in Latin by the master for papal liturgical celebrations. A replica is kept within the Vatican archives.
Who are the scrutineers?
These are the three cardinals, chosen by random drawing from the electors, who’re charged with reviewing each ballot and announcing it to the assembled conclave after each round of voting. They then tally the votes — to win the election, two-thirds of the votes are essential — and in addition they burn the ballots.
What does the saying ‘sede vacante’ mean?
This is Latin for “vacant seat,” the period between the pope’s death or resignation and the election of a latest one.
What is St. Mary Major?
This is the basilica in Rome where Pope Francis said he desires to be buried.
Francis is breaking with the tradition of his predecessors who’re buried contained in the Vatican, saying he desired to be near his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary, the Salus Populi Romani, a Byzantine-style painting of the Madonna draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus who in turn is holding a jeweled golden book.
The icon is situated within the church, first inbuilt the fifth century and dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
In his will, Francis said he wanted an easy underground tomb with only “Franciscus” written on it.
What does the text ‘Universi Dominici Gregis’ contain?
This Latin phrase means “the Lord’s whole flock.” It’s the Vatican structure that regulates the processes from a pope’s death until a latest one is elected.
St. John Paul II issued it in 1996 during his papacy, and Pope Benedict XVI twice amended it, most importantly by removing John Paul’s provision that after about 12 days of balloting an easy majority could elect a latest pope somewhat than a two-thirds majority.
If the conclave lasts that long, the highest two vote-getters go to a runoff, with a two-thirds majority required to win. Neither of the highest two candidates forged a ballot within the runoff.
What does white or black smoke mean during a papal transition?
After each round of voting within the Sistine Chapel, the ballots are burned in a special furnace to point the consequence to the surface world.
If no pope is chosen, the ballots are mixed with cartridges containing potassium perchlorate, anthracene (a component of coal tar), and sulfur to supply black smoke. But if there may be a winner, the burning ballots are mixed with potassium chlorate, lactose and chloroform resin to supply the white smoke.
Bells are also rung to further signal that there’s a latest pope.
