Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-07-11
Electors Walled up in Private
Room Of Vatican Until Two
Thirds Majority has been
Secured.
THE P0NTlFlClAL FUNERAL


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 prel-
ate chosen for the occasion. and the
cardinals retire to a private wing of
the vatican to hold the election.
After all who should be there have
entered the apartment, every entrance
but one is walled up, bricklayers with
material and tools being in readiness.
One door, however, small private
entrance. is not included, for it has
happened that cardinal died during
a conclave and some means of access
to the apartments is deemed deSira-
ble in view Of an extraordinary con-
tingency. The little door is locked
within and without, and an attendant
waits on each side, no one being al
lowed to pass in or out except by spec
ial 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.
The cells are draped, those for the
cardinals created by the last pope in
red, all others in green.
Life In The Cells.
The routine of cardinalite life
through the term of incarceration va
ries little from day to day. AT 6 in
the morning an official wakes the car
dinals, who assemble at once before
the temporary altar provided and hear
mass. after which a ballot is taken
and II there is no result they retire
for breakfast In discussion, possibly
electioneering, exercise and other
ways, they pass the time until
O'Clock in the afternoon, when anoth'
er ballot is taken, and If without re-
suit they dine and pass the after.
noon as best they can, all retiring at
dark to await the next days events.
The system of balloting which has
been In vogue in the conclave for
several hundreds of years,is curious
prominition 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 candidate who has been voted
for, while in one of the folds is record
ed also the name of the cardinal vot
ing. When a ballot is to be taken
these sheets are distributed by the
attendants among the princes Of the
church. each records his vote and, In
the folded corner, his name and ini
tials, the latter being done for the
sake of Identifying the ballot In case
Of any controversy should arise as ia
the number Of votes or their Visibility
then advances to the altar, kneels
repeats q prayer and In the sacred
chalice deposits his ballot All must
vote. otherwise there IL no election.
After the ballots have oil been de-
posted In the chalice, three cardinals
are appointed tellers, who open the
sheets, read and record the names q
the candidates voted for and an
nounce rhe result. II no election has
been attained the ballots are burned
together With the record Of the vote
made by the tellers. This part Of
the procedure Is so we'll understood in
Rome that as soon as the cardinals
are locked up in conclave a particular
chimney In the vatican palace ia
watched and when smoke is seen as
cendIng from It everybody knows that
an unsuccessful ballot has been taken
Choosing . Name.
When a choice is arrived at and
the requisite two-thirds majority has
been cast in favor Of one candidate
the fact Is announced by the tellers
the new pope instantly selects the
name by which he will be known and
? receives the homage of the cardinals
The change Of name by the successful
candidate is a usage which dates
from the accession Of Pope sergiua
II in sl4 Two accounts have been