The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-07-24
ELECTION OF A POPE.
Method Of Voting Adopted BY
Coaclave Of Cardinals.
GREAT SECRECY IS DESERVED.

and Are Locked UP In Celis-No
Communication Allowed with any
One from Gutsiae Worls-arnosS IKE
From Chimney and Ringing Of 1a1I
Tell uat@ of Ballots.
Roilarhahie pfccaution and secrecy
are Observed in the election of a pope.
For 600 years it has been the custom of
the lord chamberlain to call the CON
clave of tie cardinals ten days after
the popc's death to begin the work OF
choosing his successor.
The ~colclave takes it's name from the
fact that the cardinals are locked up in
"~conclave' in a room in the Vatican,
shut off from all communication with
the outside world, says the New York
Herald.
On the day OF the conclave all are
summoned from their cells by Il bell
thrice rung and repair to the assembly
chamber. From this moment until the
result of the voting is announced they
have no communication save with TIE
Vatican officials. Their clothing ana
ever their food is searched lest they
should contain correspondence from
friends outside. II, by the greatest e,,-
ercise OF l~eniency. a visitor is admitted
he must speak to the ilnmurod cardinal
through Il grating of iron and i'll a to- G
loud enough to be heard by the watch
ers. After Il night OF this secllsion the
c%onclave is formally assembled early
next afternoon, and all repair to the
Sistine chapel, where d desk has been
provided for each cardinal. In the MD
die of the hail'are six tables and be-
hind these an altar.
Immediately in front of the altar is a
table on which are two chalices for
holding the ballots. Before proceeding
further IL search is made in the chapel
to assure the c%onclave of the fact that
non but those entitled to vote are pres
ent. Three inspectors of the election
are t..en chosen by ballot. Should any
cardinal be so ill that he is unable to
leave his dormitory Il committee is APP
pointed to visit him and take his vote.
which is brought to the c%onclave sealed
and deposited in one of the chalices.
Each cardinal writes on a little table
in the orner of the chapel the name Of
the candidate he would elect in the cen
ter of the voting ticket. This is of an
oblong form. In the center are the
printed words. "Eligo in Summum
Pentiticem RIM. Dmmeum. d. Card Il
elect sovereign pontiff my Lord Cardi-
nal y. after which the voter in.
scribes the name Of the candidate he
would elect. .N-
At the foot of the altar the voter lifts
up his hand and exhibits the ticket be-
tween his thumb and finger. He tfen
kneels and prays for a moment. after
which he takes oath that he is about to
elect him whom. according to God. he
thinks ought to be elected. He then
puts the ticket on the paten and slips it
from thence into the chalice. which he
covers up again. Then he makes anew
a reverence before the altar and re-
turns to his place.
When all have voted in like manner
the six tellers examine the papers and
proclaim the result. If no cardinal has
obtained the required number of votes.
two-thirds of the number of cardinals
present. the result is declared void. and
the voting papers. collected together,
are burned in a brazier with damp
straw. the dense smoke from which is
sues through a particular chimney visi-
BILE from outside and proclaims to the
outer world that no election has taken
place. ~
First to cast his ballot is the dean of
the college who writes the name of his
es in length and four in width. which
he folds and. sealing it at both ends.
folds it once more in the middle and
then drops it in the bowl nearest his
desk. All follow in the order Of their
rank as members Of the college.
The burning of the ballots closes
the session of the day. and the conclave
adjourns until the evening.
Compromise candidates have several
times been taken by general agreement
whenever the race between two strong
cardinals became so close rs to dead
lock the college. Proceeding with the
election by ballot. voting is continued
OH the lines indicated until a choice is
reached, and this is made known to the
people by the absence Of the smoke.
for, although the ballots, as in the I'M
successful instances, are also burned,
the smoke is not permitted to escape.
When the result Is reached it is an
nounced by the ringing of a bell. All
the senior cardinals advance to the
place occupied by the newly chosen
pontiff and inquire if he accepts the
election.
On receiving his affirmative answer
he is at once saluted by the entire col
lege. He her announces the name by
which he desires to be known through
out the world as the head Of the
church. An interval then occurs during
which the canopies are removed from
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