Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-11-15
ELECTION OF A POPE.

We trdnslAte from III, Constitutional
Of The sou Aug. the following histori-
cal details as to the election of Popes,
which, in actual crcumst stances, seems
TO US oil interest. NJ Y. american.
The election of Pope is an important
ah,lr in Chfisleudum. The manner of
giving head TO he Church has, like all
other earthly things, undergone changes.
The first four Popes designated their
own successors; after thai the clergy
OF Rome rendered themselves masters
Of the election. The Euperors OF the
West, the Greek Kings, The successors
OF Charlemagne, afterwards Obtained
share in the election; bot the mans,
gradually shaking of lheir dependence
on the Emperors, no icp&er invited lhe
foreign ambassadors to The election Of
The Popes.
TIE eivtbY Of Rome began insensibiy
to deprive the people OF the share whieh
they had till then, in the election, and
excluded them entirely towards tie
middle Of the 18th century; finally,
ihirIy-sx years after, The Cardinals be-
can 10 arroga,e 10 themselves The right
OF eiecting.
As sooo as the he|v father expires, the
Cardinal Canrritngo, N violet dress,
goes % his door; knor ks at it three
times, vita a golden hammer, and at
each time calls on The Pope with loud
voice, by his baptlsmai, family, and pa
pal names. After a short pause, he
says, in presence Of the clerks of the
chamber and the apostolic no,aries, who
take a formal note OF the ceremony, he is
dend then. The 6sherman's ring is
then brought to the same Cardinal. AID
hroken with the same hammer. The
| fragments belong to the master OF cere-
monies. FINAL, he goes to take Has-
session of the Vatican IN The tame of
he apostoical chamber, accompanied
ny the clerks Of The chamber, habted in
black. After having established bis au-
,hority in the palace, lie sends his guards
to scize The gates Of the city, OF the cas-
tie oi ST. Angelo, and The other gates
and when be has secured the safety IF
Rome, he leaves the Vatican in car
rage, preceded by the captain Of tie
| Pope guards, and / wing beside hiFn
The SWISS who ordin, NJ accompany his
holiness. Woen this march begins, the
great bell of the capitol is rang, which,
as it only rings OH such occasions. an
nounces 10 the whole city the deafh IF
tho Sovereign Pm III. Nyan~iie The
otficers Of ot. P,t -, it'll the { haplains
ofthe deceaseo Pope, take care 10 have
his body embaimed. They afterwards
dress it up III pontihciaI robes, the mi
tire on bis head, and expose ii tor three
DAYS on state bed. AT the expiration
Of these three days, il is carried 10 St.
Peters, he burial place of the Popes,
With the ordinary funeral pomp.
| The corps remains exposed for nine
! days in that church to the view OF The
people; it is afterwards placed in a oy-
press coffin, which IS enclosed in one of
lead, and finally in ,hird of pine, and
remains deposited in the chapel until
mausoIeum can be built for it, or il can
be transported where the Pope desired.
In this interval, the cardinals hold
many meetings, in order to regulate tue
proc ceilings Of the Conclave, and to
elect by ballot the officers who are to
do the necessary services of a conclave.
Tie ninth day of bis obsequies, the fu-
neral Grafton is pronounced in ST. Pc
,er's. The nine days Of the Pope's
obsequies being expired, the Cardinals
assemble the next day al the Church of
ST. Peters, and the elder Cardinal says
The mass OF the Holy Ghost for the cleo
ton Of a new Pope. Then a prela,e
pronounces discourse in Latin, exhort-
ing the Cardinals to choose person
worthy of SO eminent place. After
which the principal master OF ceremo-
nies taxes the pspal cross. He is fol-
lowed by the musicians, singing Yeni
Creator, and by the Cardinals, two aud
wo, each according to rank, who go
personally 10 the concave which is pre-
pared for them in the Vatican.
The conclave occupies portion Of
the Vatican, that immense palace of
which the name alone inspires respect.
1t begins at the gallery over the portlco
of St. Peters, and extends along to the
right hand. Through the whole length
OF the first apartment, and of The corre-
dores which traverse il, there are seve-
raj large rooms, separated from each
other by wooden par ions. The spaces
between these partitions are called
cells ); each cell consists of different
small rooms and cabinets; each cardinal
has for himself add his conciapists one
the chamber which he occupies is only
large enough 10 hold a bed, FIVE or six