The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-04-25
ELECTING A POPE.

The time for the meeting Of another
ConclaVe is drawing near, and it Will
hardly be out OF place il we give few
notices of what usually takes place on
the Holy See becoming vacant. The
chief rule during the vacancy belongs to
the Cardinal Camerlingo. He repairs
to the chamber where the dead pontiff
lies; he strikes him on the forehead
thrice with slender hammer, and calls
him three times by his original nam
Gas, tor instance, "Giovanni Mastail').
Receiving no reply, he takes OF the
"rng OF the fisherman" and breaks it.
Nine days are allowed Tor assembling
the ConclaVe. 1t can no longer be held
in the Qulrinal; the next, therefore, will
be convened in the Vatican. The doors
aud windows of the room set apart for
1t will be walled up, one or TWO panes
OF glass only being left at the top to
afford little light. A dozen conclaves
might be held in the spacious palace
whore the Pope resides, and cells for the
Cardinals can easily be constructed in
the long galleries. They will be made OF
ordinary fir pIanks, ami covered on the
outside with yiolet-colored serge II the
inhabitant was created Cardinal by the
Pope just deceased, and green by some
previous PontltY. The Cardinals may
saries are placed as sentinels to prevent
this irregularity. However, De Brosses
says they often manage to do it.
On the first day OF the Conclave their
Eminences hear mass and sing the
"Veni Grealor before proceeding to
business. Many a last word is said be-
fore the bell rings and the Master Of the
Ceremonies pronOunces an Extra On
nes," and The last door is shut and
walled up. Nobody is then permitted
to leave the Conclaye. But by this time
the evening has arrived and the Car
dinals retire to rest. AT 8'clock the
next morning a bell is rung at the door
of each cell, and at 8, clad In cassock,
band, rochet, cape, and croccia, With
their scarlet berrette, they proceed to
the chapel, hear mass, and communl-
cate. Many minute ceremonies
are observed which may here
be passed over. Then they return to
their cells to breakfast, and afterward
proceed to their first scrutiny. The
midday meal follows. The dinners Of
their Eminences are brought to the
"rota," or turn-table opening, ut which
they are to be passed into the Conclave
with much care aud in a solemn mau-
ner. Each Cardinal has "dapiier," or
feast-carrier, who discharges that func-
tion Tor his imprisoned master. During
the introduction oil the Viands great care
is taken that no communications re-
specting the business Of the Conclave
snail take place between those immured
and the outsiae world.
MIR. Adolphus TroIlope, who is no
friend to The Catholic Church, says in
reference to CoDclaYes: "GIven the
necessity of having Pope, it would
probably be impossible TO devise "a
better means OF getting QUE than that
which the Church has gradually perlec.-
ed"
There have been but five Conclaves
held this century; the first, which elected
Chiaramonti, Pope Plus VII in 1900;
the second, to which We owe Della Genga,
Leo ii, III 1922; the third, which chose
Saverio, P.us VIII, in 1879; the fourth,
which convened III 1881, whose choice
fell Oh Capellan, Gregory XVI; and the
fifth, whicn elected Mastal o; Sintgaglia
as Plus TX, in 1916. Two of these Fon-
titfs have reigned an unusually long time,
Plus vi having been on the Papal throne
nearly twenty-.hree years anu half,
ami the present occupant Of the see Of
Rome ing the only Pope In all the two
hundred and slxty-two successors of ST.
Peter who mas overpassed a quarter of u
century, Westminster Gazette.