The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-07-15
SUNDAY READING.
How the Popes are Elected.


may not be without interest. Let us i'm
agine ourselves transported to Rome, and
part of the crowd which fills St. Peters to
overAowing.
The Pope has been dead ten days, and
according to the provisions made at the
Lyons Council in 1874, by Gregory X,
whose election was delayed three years
through various pretenses, this is the long
est time allowed to elapse between the
death of the Pope and the assembling of
the Conclave to elect his successor.
The last solemn notes of the organ are
dying away amid the lofty arches of st.
Peters, the Mass of the Spirito Sancto has
been celebrated, and two by two the seven
ty cardinals, dressed in their scarlet robes,
pass down the echoing aisles. Listen Do
you hear the loud strains of the Veni Crea-
tori 1t is chanted by the vast concourse of
priests and people as they escort the Col
lege of Cardinals to the Vatican.
Arriving there, the cardinals seek a room
in the palace called the Conclave, built
particularly for meetings of this kind, and
in whose galleries are built as, many cells
as there are cardinals. Besides the regular
members of the Conclave, each one of these
has two conclavists OF attendants, one
priest, the other soldier. Their duties
are to look after the personal wants of the
cardinal to whom they are attached,
and to act as his secretary. 1t is an office
much sought after, and the conclavist to
the cardinal who is elected Pope feels that
the highway to fortune lies clear before
him. They, Of course, take the oath to
keep secret the proceedings of the Con-
clave.
The first twenty four hours of its session,
ambassadors of princes, and those having
any special interest in the election of the
Pope, are allowed to remain; but at three
o'clock in the morning of the succeeding
day, a bell sounds, and all except the car
dinals and their conclavists retire. The
doors are n ow closed all outlets are walled
up, except one small window through which
food is passed, and no communication
whatever is allowed with the outer world.
If at the end of three days no Pope has
been chosen, only two meals day are al
lowed. If on the eighth no name has been
announced, bread, water, and wine are all
they will receive till an election is made.
Everything being in readiness, the cleo
ton may now be proceeded with and ac-
cording to Innocent I'LL, this may be done
in four ways; by inspiration, by comprom-
Use, by scrutiny, and by access.
An election by Inspiration is effected by
several of the cardinals calling aloud, as by
a sudden impulse, the name of the person
whom they wish to raise to the pontificial
throne. This method is not often resorted
to, but if a powerful party can be raised
it is sometimes successful.
The election by Compromise is sometimes
adopted, when the College, being unable
to make a choice, agree to leave the nam.
ing of the future Pontiff to one or more Of
their own body nominated for that purpose
John XXII., after receiving the solemn
promise of each cardinal to abide by his
|
that occurrence, this method has not beer
much practiced.
In choosing Pope by Scrutiny, which
is the most common way, the cardinals
take from golden basin a card, upor
which each one writes his own name, anC
that Of the person for whom he wishes tt
vote. These tickets are then, with many
bows and genufiexions, placed in highly
ornamented chalice, which stands upon til,
altar. When all have voted, these cards
with much form and ceremony, are taker
from the chalice and counted by person
chosen for that purpose. If any cardinal
is found to have the votes of two-thirds OF
the College, he is declared elected
When, however, after several trials, thi
does not occur, a new plan is tried, which
is called Election by Access. When this il
adopted, any cardinal may accede to tn,
vote of another, by the alteration of hi
ticket in the prescribed form. When
pope is elected in this manner, the ticket
are all carefully burned, to prevent all pre-
text for future inquiry. f.s..,
The new Pope beingnow legally elected
he is asked what name he will assume il
his new station. This alteration Of nam
was first introduced by Sergius w., VIII
{ had been before called 0s Porci. 1t was no
} surprising that he should wish to chang
| so unspiritual cognomen, and his exampl
has been invariably followed by all his sue
I cessors. p<4 fttFu
! The new Pontiff is now presented wit
Y the cal Of the Church, called the ''Fishel