The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-03-10
ELECTIOl, Of A POPE.
MANY FORMALITIES ENVIRON THE
CREATION OF THE PONTIFF.,

Cardinals Witness Death and Name Sue
cessor In Secret-Four Acknowledged
Methods of Conducting the Important
Election-Aunouncing the New Pope.
The formalities attending the election
of a pope are numerous and must be
complied with to the letter. When the
reigning pope is believed to be in dy-
ing condition, witnesses are assembled
to be present at his death, several car
dinals being among the number, and as
soon as the melancholy event occurs the
papal chamberlain takes charge of the
Vatican, makes an inventory of the
property in the pope's private apart
ments, views the body, writes certiti-
cate of death, which he summons the
witnesses to sign, orders the papal
chapel and St. Peters to be draped and
the bells to be tolled. All the cardinals
are Immediately notified of the pope's
death and requested to attend the serv
ices at the Vatican chapel. The funeral
of pope usually lasts nine days, the
body, after being enlbalmed and robed
in pontifcal vestments, lying in state
three days in the private chapel of the
pope, three days in the Sistine and three
in the cathedral of St. Peter.
After the funeral the cardinals in
attendance gather in the Vatican, masses
are said, a sermon relating to their du-
ties is delivered by one of their own
number or by some distinguished prelate
chosen for the occasion, and the cardi-
nails retire to a private wing Of the Vat
lean to hold the election. Formerly
none but cardinals were admitted to
this conclave, but of late years the rule
has been greatly relaxed.
The cardinals are mostly old men,
some of them very aged. in some cases
unable to help themselves to the extent
desired, so that within the wing of the
Vatican set apart for their use there are
now admitted BARRIERS, walters, Wallets,
doctors and other attendants, all Of
whom take the same oath as the cardi
nails, to divulge nothing of what passes
within the conclave. After all who
should be there have entered the apart
ments every entrance but one is walled
up, bricklayers with material and tools
being in readiness. One door, however,
a small private entrance, is not includ-
ed, for it has happened that cardinal
died during conclave, and some means
of access to the apartment is deemed
desirable in view of an extraordinary
contingency. The little door is locked
within and without, and an attendant
waits on each side, no one being allow
ed to pass in or out except by special
permission from both the cardinals and
the papal chamberlain.
Formerly all the cardinals lived and
slept in common dormitory, but now
private cell is set apart for each.
With the plainest furnishings, these lit
tie apartments more closely resemble
the cell of a monk than habitation fit
for prince of the church. The cells are
draped, those for the cardinals created
by the last pope in red, all others in
green, so that the distinction between a
red cardinal and green cardinal is
marked during the election if at no 9TH
er time.
There is little change in the routine
life Of the cardinals during the days
they are confined here waiting the final
vote. An official wakes each cardinal at
6 o'clock every morning, and the college
Immediately assemblies at mass before a
temporary altar. After mass ballot is
taken, and if there is no choice they re.
tire for breakfast. In discussion, posi-
bly, electioneering, exercise and other
ways, they pass the time until 2 o'clock
in the afternoon, when another ballot is
taken, and if without result they dine
and pass the afternoon as best they can,
all retiring at dark to await the next
days events.
There are four acknowledged methods
of electing pope: /. By inspiration.
2. By compromise. 8. By scrutiny or
ballot. 4. By access. Popes have often
been elected by inspiration. When upon
entering the conclave one candidate is
obviously the choice either of the entire
body or majority, some one, viva voce,
proposes his name, the other cardinals
accept and the inspiration of the act is
recognized. By the compromise method
the cardinals, finding it impossible to
agree upon choice, leave to one of
their own number the task of nominal
ing pope.
The system of balloting, which has
been in vogue in the conclave for several
hundreds of years, is curious Fremont
ton of the Australian system. Sheets
Of paper are carefully folded so that
when opened by the tellers the latter
see nothing but the name of the candi-
date who has been voted for, while in
one Of the folds is recorded also the
name of the cardinal voting. When
ballot is to be taken, these sheets are
by the attendants among the
princes of the church, each records his
vote and in the folded corner his name
or initials, the latter being done for the
sake of identifying the ballot in case
any controversy should arise as to the
of votes or their validity, then,
advances to the altar, kneels, repeats a
prayer and in the sacred chalice deposits
his ballot. All must vote; otherwise
there is no election. After the ballots
have all been deposited in the chalice
three cardinals are appointed tellers,
who open the sheets, read and record
tho namos IF tho copd;dotoc uota6 Gov