The process is governed by hundred norms and traditions that are accompanied by its own vocabulary, much in Latin. The choice of a new Pope can last weeks or months and is in the hands of a small group of Catholic prelates, who decides who will be the next leader of a flock of more than one billion faithful worldwide.
With the first papal transition in more than a decade in motion after the death of Pope Francis, whose funeral was held on Saturday, we present some terms that you should know:
Conclave
This is the Cardinals meeting in which the next Pope will be chosen and that will begin next month. The word comes from the Latin “with a key” and refers to the isolation imposed within the Vatican to men (and have always been men) as they make their decision. They cannot leave the conclave except in exceptional situations, and telephones, internet or newspapers are not allowed.
Cardinals vote secretly until a two -thirds majority are reached and a new Pope is chosen. The process recently dramatized in the movie “Conclave”, which, according to some papal experts, presents a fairly accurate description.
Cardenalicio College
The cardinals, known as “Princes of the Church”, are the second -ranking Catholics, and together they are known as the Cardinal College. There are 252 cardinals, created by the Pope to help him and advise him on ecclesiastical affairs; When a Pope dies, it is up to the school to choose his successor.
The word cardinal comes from the Latin “cardinalis”, which means “that serves as a hinge.”
The group is led by a dean, a position currently occupied by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, a 91 -year -old Italian who has spent most of his career serving in the Roman curia. The Dean will preside over the meetings prior to the conclave, but will not attend the meeting, since only cardinals under 80 years can vote for a new Pope, in this case 133.
Camarlengo
The Camarlengo, appointed by the Pope before his death, is a cardinal who assumes the management of the Vatican from the moment the pontiff dies until his successor is chosen and is responsible for supervising many of the tasks of the transition.
Its functions include removing the Pope’s ceremonial ring (known as the fisherman’s ring) after his death, sealing his study and bedroom and presiding over his burial.
The Italian word comes from the medieval Latin “shrimp”, which means Chambelán. The position is currently occupied by Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, a 77 -year -old American born in Ireland.
Vacant headquarters
It is the period between pontiffs and comes from a Latin phrase that means “the headquarters is empty.” During this time, in which Camarlengo acts as a de facto administrator of the Vatican, the Cardinal College maintains the general supervision of the Church, but cannot make important decisions.
The longest vacancy, according to the historian Salvador Miranda, was more than two years and seven months, the result of intestine struggles between the French and Italian features of the cardinals, and ended in 1271 with the choice of Gregorio X.
White smoke
After the voting rounds of the conclave, the ballots are burned. From a chimney located on the Sistine Chapel, smoke scrolls come out, and the spectators gathered were waiting for a sign that the cardinals have made a decision.
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If the smoke is black, it means that they are still in the dead. White smoke means that a new Pope has been chosen. Chemicals are used to change the color, although in 2005 the Vatican also began to sound the bells of the Basilica of San Pedro to confirm that a decision had been made.
“Habemus Papam“
When a new Pope is chosen, he leaves, dressed in a white cassock, a balcony of the Basilica of San Pedro. A cardinal of the highest rank is located next to him and proclaims: “Habemus Papam”, Latin phrase that means: “We have a Pope.”