Sharp County record., 1878-03-01
ELE, CITING A POPE.
Some Rules Oh, served by the Electoral
n )nclaYe.
from the Cotbo lie World for March,

from the Catho lie World for March,
While great carr is still taken tt
hinder suspicious c. ommunlcatlons be
tween the Conclave an d the outer world
it is no longer prohibit, I'd to visit Car
dinal or a member of his SUITE, although
the colloquy must be helo at some one
of the entries, and whate yer is spoken
be heard by the prelates doing duty
there. Instead of the single small win.
dow-more like an Oublj tie than any
thing else-which Gregory pres cribed,
openings in the shape of pivotal or re,
volving wooden frames, like those used
in nunneries and called tours, in French,
were adopted at the suggestion of Paride
de- Grassi, Master of Ceremonies to
Leo X. Eight of them are always con-
nected on different sides with the hall of
Conclave, wherever it may be. The ten
days before the Conclaye can open be-
gin from the very day of the Pope's
death; but sOmtimeS a much longer
time has elapsed, as, for instance, after
the death of Alexander VI, when the
violence of Caesar BOrgia and the pres
ence of a French army in Rome occa-
stoned a delay of thirty days; and again,
when Cardinal Ferreri was arrested on
his way from Yercelli to the Conclave
by the Duke Of Milan, his loyal col
leagues waited for him eight days be-
yond the usual time. The Conclaye in
which julius III. was elected in 1850
was not opened until nineteen days after
his predecessors death, to oblige the
French Cardinals, who had not yet all
arrived at Rome. In early ages, before
it became customary to give the hat to
occupants of Episcopal sees other than
the seven suburbican ones, and when
Cardinals were strictly bound to reside
IN catri0 i. e., to live near the Pope, of
whose court they were the principal
perSonageS, there was generally no ne
cessity for a considerable delay.
The Sacred Congregation of Rome
are privileged to transact business of
small Importance through their secreta-
ries, and even to finish affairs of what
ever Importance, if at the Pope's death
they were so far advanced as to need
only the secretary's signature.
If Cardinal fall i'll and choose to re-
main in Conclave, provision is made to
take his vote, but he may retire, if he
wish, losing his vote, however, which
can not be given outside of the Conclave
or by proxy. If he recover he is oblig-
ed in conscience to return, because it is
a duty of his office, and not merely
personal privilege, to take part in papal
elections. All Cardinals, unless speci-
ally deprived by the Pope before his
death OF the right of electing, and be-
ing elected, can vote and are eligible,
even if under censures. The Cardinals
may elect whom they please; nor is it
necessary to be either member of the
Sacred College or an Italian to become
Pope. No matter what may have been
mans previous condition, he can be
elected; and there are not few in
stances of persons of ignoble birth or
mean antecedents having been exalted
to the Papacy, which they have illus
trated to their virtues or by their learn
ing.
Gregory X. prescribed that a strict
watch should be kept over the Conclave
wherever it might be held. When held
in Rome the representatives of the no
blest families have a principal part in
maintaining order in the city and pro
tecting the Cardinals from any kind of
interference. The Marshal of the Holy
Roman Church and guardian of the
Conclave watches over the external
peace and quiet of the Sacred College.
This is one of the highest Office held by
a layman at the Roman Court. 1t is
hereditary, and belonged for over 400
years to the great baronial family
of Savelli until its extinction. 1t passed
in 1712 to the princely family of Chigi.
The very ancient and now ducal family
of Mattel was charged with preserving
the peace of the Ghetto and IraSteUere.
For this purpose it is used to raise and
equip small body of troops, which was
kept up as long as the Conclave lasted.
The Maiordomo of the late Pope is ex-
officio Governor of the Conclave since
the time of Clement XII (Corsini, 173O-
174O). Although he also exercises some
external jurisdiction, he is more partic-
ularly rec quired to attend to the domes-
tic wants of the Cardinals, and preserve
order within the palace where the Con-
clave may be held. Delegations from
the various colleges of the Roman pre-
lacy-apoStolic prothonotaries, auditors
of the Pope, clerks of the chamber, etc.
taking their orders daily from the
Governor, are to be stationed at one or
other of the Ruote, or turnstile windows,
during the whole of the Conclave.
The collect Pro eIigendo Ponttfce--
that God may grant worthy pastor to
bic Ghnrch-iS said at all masses