If something has barely changed in the Catholic Church throughout the decades It has been the strict ceremonial of the conclave.
The conclave It is the vote of the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel, of the Vatican, To choose the new Pope.
They are no longer listed without eating until they choose a pontiff and has changed the number of glitters, But the strict norms that will serve “guided by the Holy Spirit” are maintained to give a new successor of Peter.
More than 130 cardinals (they should be 135, but due to illness, this number will remain in 133), with an average of 70 years and mostly appointed by Pope Francis, They will meet in conclave to choose the next pontiff. The European representation still dominates, but less than in the last election.
As the age limit to be summoned to the conclave is 80 years, 117 Cardinals will not participate in the election of the next leader of the Catholic Church, scheduled for early May.
Of the 135 cardinals summoned to the conclave, 108 were named by Pope Francis: 40 in Europe, 20 in Asia, 19 in Central and South America, 15 in Africa, 10 in North America and 4 in Oceania. Benedict XVI appointed 22 and John Paul II to five.
How will the conclave be done?
The novelty, the traditional period of nine days of mourning that follow the death of a Pope, They will end on May 4, as confirmed on Wednesday the Holy See.
After that day The conclave will be convened, in which these steps will be observed:
Dinner
The tradition dictates that all the cardinals, which in this case will be 133 after two casualties, will move the afternoon before the start of the conclave to the house of Santa Marta, The residence inside the Vatican where Francisco lived, for dinner together.
From that moment They will remain isolated from the world, totally incommunicado.
The initial mass
The next morning, the dean of the Cardenalicio College, Giovanni Battista Re, will celebrate the Mass “Pro Choose dad”, Open to all the faithful in the Basilica of San Pedro.
The procession
In the afternoon, the cardinals will be in procession to the Sistine Chapel, invoking the assistance of the Holy Spirit with the song of the Veni Creator.
The “extra omnes”
At the end of the oath within the Sistine, the master of the liturgical celebrations, Diego Ravelli, will proclaim the Extra omnes (All outside) and the doors will be closed.
Only the cardinals remain inside and will proceed to a first vote.
Prayers
Every day, the cardinals will celebrate the Mass and then move to the Sistine Chapel, where at 9 local hours (1 hours of Guatemala) They will pray the laudes and after the second vote of the afternoon, the voters will pray the eve.
The vote
The cardinals will vote twice in the morning (immediately after Laudes) and twice in the afternoon (at 4 local hours). There are currently 133 voters, so 88 votes are needed among the cardinals to be chosen in Pedro’s successor.
The “fumatta” (smoke)
Every two votes, the ballots in which the cardinals have written their candidate They burn in a stove inside the Sistine Chapel.
The smoke leaves a fireplace located on the roof of the Sistine Chapel: One could form around 12 local hours (4 hours from Guatemala), another at 7 pm (11 hours from Guatemala).
If the smoke comes out before these hours, Pope has been chosen.
The bells
Once the election has been made, White smoke will come out of the fireplace and at the same time sound the six bells of San Pedro In celebration signal.
The “Hall of Tears”
In the sacristy of the Sistine Chapel a room is prepared with the dresses of the new pontiff of several sizes. This is the “Hall of Tears”, called Because it is the place where the chosen relieves the emotion that has contained so far.
How is the voting procedure?
The last deacon cardinal chooses Three scrutineers, three auditors and three collaborators:
- The ceremonies teachers give at least two or three white ballots to each voter, then leave the Sistine Chapel.
- Each cardinal secretly fills the ballot, writing “clearly, with a letter as recognizable as possible, the name of the person who chooses.”
- Then bend the ballot in half and, holding it high and clearly visible, is directed to the altar, near which the scrutineers are found.
- Cardinal swears: “I invoke Christ the Lord, who will judge me, as a witness that my vote is given to whom, according to God, I think it must be chosen.” Place the ballot on a plate and slide it inside a chalice, used as an urn. He leans before the altar and returns to his seat.
- At the end of the vote, the first scrutador shakes the ballot box several times to mix the ballots and the third scrutador transfers the ballots, one by one, to another chalice. If the number of ballots corresponds to the total number of voters, proceed to count.
- The scrutineers sit at a table placed in front of the altar. The first scrutador opens one card at a time and reads the name. The second repeats the procedure. The third scrutinizer writes the name and reads it out loud, then drills the cards with a needle and links them all with a thread.
- The shrimp collects the notes and writes an act with the result. All papers burn in the stove, with a chemical additive to change the color of the smoke.