Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-05-22
HOW PoPES ARE MADE.

The Ceremonies After the Death ofthe Pom
iiO-The Balloting Of the College of Cardinals.
Chambers journal som time ago contained
the following account of how Popes are elect
cd;
called Vicar Of Christ, the Pope is dead.
Who is TO be his successor? First of all, the fact
must be authenticated in proper form, and to
do this one of the officials or the Camera visits
the death chamber. Standing at the door, and
striking it with gilt mlllet, the Cameolengl
receiving no reply, enters the room, taps the
corps,. un the forehead with silver mallet, and
th.n f,lliuc-ou his knees, proclaims the Pope
/ Ia Le no more. The tolliug of the great bell
of 81. Peters announces to the people Of Rome
! flat they have lost their sovereign and the
| Church her head. Consistently with the theory
! ot nersoual government prevailing in the Holy
civ. the Pope's death is practically an announ-
/ cement of the temporary suspension OF all gov
erument. All political and all judicial authority
| ceases. the law courts suspend their sittings;
| ,n ,rcLv reirns. This state of lawlcssness con-
Times lar nine days-that is till the appoint
mrni of n fre-h Pupe-and this period was for
ra,,I,rirs distinguish ed by oulrlges that Were
a scandal to the government Of the Holy city.
The day after The Pope's death the Cardinals
meet and break what is called the Piscatorial
. ring. This ring has 4 history oil ITS owil-a mor'
. romantic history, probably, than any othe
ring i'm Europe-and if it could speak it NIGH
nil If some startling secrets about the Vatican
| H. il. we believe, plain gold ring, bearing The
eliiuy of ST. Peter It's principal Use Is to sigi
An9stolic briefs, and it has been used for th
purpose by the Pspes from the earliest ages OF
The Church. Looking through the recently pub
lished correspondence OF Napoleon !, rev DAY
AGO, we came acIoss all iitresting incident.
When Napoleon issued his orders for TIL
seiznre of the praycr-books and papers Of Pin
VII. he laid particular stress upon the ring: Ii
wished il to he seized ut all hazards; and whe
= il could not be found, His Majesty ordered a
officer Of gend dIneS 10 demand 1t from I'll
. HOLY Father. This was the crowning aiiron
!, ! of %apoleon to the Pope and Plus VII hesitai
= | cd for some moments whether TO comply wit
. tlerlde Imperial request nr not.
A cnptiye' however, aud at the Emperor
g mercy, IL was impossible Ia resist; and AT Ia
"a the Holy Father, taking little leathcFn pur'
n out of his pocket, produced the fisherman III
!, broke il in two, as IL Is broken ON the deaf
| of every Ponlil, and handed the pieces 10 Ill
: geaddrme. Through Prince Borghese the Droi
n en- ring was forwarded to the Emperor at Pari
:, but il afterwards found its way to The Vatican
- and now frequently adorls the finger OF u
| Supreme Pontil
/ THE FUNERAL. OF \ POPE
= is striking and gorgeous ceremony. u IS n
e till the ninth day after his death that lhi Card
l. nails lie assemble to elect successor; and u
Il Ballot Society will be glad to hear that I'll
r Pope is elected, Ike the member OF club,
. ballot.
o The right of election vests in the College {
4. Cardinals; anu this ri hit is inviolabe: nothii
Can touch it
a 1t is personal privilege, and one that 81
[y wives even accommodations tue highe
as sentence of the church. Neither he.esy II
o. crime can 1isiranchise Cardinal, once
Id Cardinal, alwaysa Cardinal, and, though l
10 yond the pale of the church, lie may prese