The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-15
VOTING FOR A POPE
LEO kits ORDER FOR THE ELEC-
TION OF HIS SUCCESSOR.
Usages and Ceremonies which Cow
ern the Induction Of n New Papal
Sovereign Into ONCE.
r,eans Times-Democrat.


%
New Orleans Times-Democrat
1t has been well said that IL ever the Gu
riosities of histories sre gathered into a vol
ume one of the most curious chapters viii be
that which tells Of the numerous premature
announcements made during the last fifteen
years OF his life of Pope Plus KS pending
dissolution. An equally curious chapter may
be devoted TO similar reports concerning Leo
XIII. At intervals OF few months for years
past word has Come. always from the most
authentic sources" that he was dying. But
he still lives. and may outive many of those
prophets OF evil. 1t IS however. certain that
he has come TO regard his remaining span OF
life as probably very short. He has made
his will, and uttered his final political and
ecclesiastical messages. Finally he has.
within a few weeks. issued instructions. or
commands. which are to govern the cardinals
in their choice OF his successor. He does not
of course, attempt to indicate upon whom
their choice shall fall nor to impose upon
them or upon the next Pope any particular
line OF action. On the contrary, the tenor OF
his commands is directly opposed TO any
such attempt on the part of any one.
THE cardinals" says the Pope. ARE not
to put forth, nor TO accept from others,
any proposals regarding the political conduct
Of the future pontiff; for the laws which
the next Pope should observe are already
set forth in the pontfical constitution and
in papal bulls. 1t would be grave offense
for cardinals to attempt to alter these pre-
else dispositions in order that they might
secure some particular election. II any
cardinals shall have given undertakings 10
| follow a certain line of conduct In order
to influence the election they are required on
entering the next conclave to renounce al
such obligations under severest penalty. BY
introducing extraneous and agitating ele-
ments into the election OF the pontin. they
would be acting TO the detriment OF those
rights and duties which the elected one
swears to observe and defend"
PROMPT ACTION URGED.
The Pope recommends that the choice OF
his successor be made as promptly as pos
| sble after his death; for, he says. long
protracted contest might produce confusion
and impair the authority OF the new pontiff.
and that, in these troublous times. would
| be sore disaster. Doubtless 1t would.
The political foes of the papacy are reckon
| Ing upon there being a crisis In its fortunes
at the death OF Leo XIII. They reckoned
| upon the same at the death of Plus TX.
They were disappointed then, and doubtless
| Will be again. Who will be chosen to sue
| dicted. But this may confidently be ex-
| pected. that he will be chosen promptly.
| and his election cordially acquiesced in by
before. There will be no break In the fort
| unes of the ancient church.
| There Is no more impressive gathering In
| perhaps, less known to the world. For IT
Is held In the strictest privacy. Not only are
no reporters or visitors OF any kind adj
/ mitted, but the cardinals themselves are
| close prisoners while IL lasts. Three days
are spent In solemn requiem masses for the
dead Pope; These are celebrated by the car
| cardinals. each accompanied by a servant
| and chaplain, are securely locked UP In
certain portion OF the Vatican. They
| actually walled UP with masonry. and a
| strict guard is kept outside TO prevent any
| attempt at communica ton between them
| and the world. And thus they are kept until
| they have chosen new Pope. 1t matters
not what may happen. II one of the car
| outside would know 1t until after the cleo
| ton. If there should be revolution and
| the King of Italy should be detaroned. and
1 the temporal sovereignty OF the papacy
should be restored, none of the cardinals
| would knoS- of IT until they were able TO
| announce '.Papam Habemus"-'we have a
| Pope"
THE SECRET CoNCLAvE.
The concave assemblies in the Sistine
| Chapel for preliminary meeting. and while
| there the walling in of the surrounding court
is effected Then a solemn procession is
| formed, with the hereditary marshal of the
church and guardian of the conclave at it's
head. 1t consists Of the guards of the Vat
ican who are to remain on duty during the
| conclave, securely walled I'm from the outer
world. and as securely locked out from the
conclave itself. This procession makes the
round of the court and buildings, to see
that every means OF communication with the
10 Eino " has hp az
clave. There the marshal locks the door on
as Gd ceR K keep On the the ns 10 kssp
guards out. Then all Is ready for the serious
work of the conclave. Each cardinal, as
lain, and has three rooms In which to live
Special kitchens are arranged within the
inciosure to provide food 70, the ~ members
notice that they are provided with gas
ranges for cooking; and there are also cleo
trio. call bells for the convenience Of the
solemn oath is administered to eaci
member of the concave at the first sitting
were present sixty-three cardinals, the larg
est number on record. Only four OF them hat
been in the former conclave. all the res
tifcate of Plus TX. The electoral session.
are held in the 'Sistine Chapel. High over th'
head Of each is canopy Nv which can b
cord and pulley. Only one will thus be low
| cred: the one over him who shall be chosel
| Pope. Until that moment all the cardinal
| are equally sovereign. Before each Is
small table, with papers. pens. ink, wax an,
| seal. Before the altar stands q larger tabl
. for the use Of the three cardinal scrutators
or tellers. On the altar itself is enormou
| chalice. covered with the paten and Bool
of the Gospels. When all is thus ready tn
voting begins.
FORM OF BALLOTS.
; Each cardinal writes upon sheet o
paper his ballot. worded thus: II. Carolina
: -. elect my Lord Cardinal - {,
be Supreme Pontiff." This he writes in
peculiar order, so that he can then fol,
the paper in such manner that his owl
: name VIII be concealed. and only the mann
of the candidate voted for be visible on tn
outside. He must not put upon the pape
. his cardinalitial mark OF dignity, any
; thing else to distinguish 1t from the others
any such mark upon any one ballot making
that entire polling void. Having prepared
his ballot. the cardinal goes Forward to tn
: altar, holds the ballot aloft In his RICH
hand. places his left hand upon the Book o
the Gospels. and says aloud: II call 10 wit
ness Christ the Lord, who Is TO be m,
f; judge, that L elect him whom / judge, &C
cording to God, ought 10 be elected, ans
/: that / win do the same at the accession.
Then he places the ballot. folded and sealed
upon the paten, and inclines the paten so a
E to let the ballot slip into the chalice. Whei