The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-07-13
ELECTION OF A POPE.
Method Of Voting Adopted BY
Conclave Of Cardinals.
GREAT SECRECY IS OBSERVED,


Communication Allowed with Any
one From Outside worId-smoIse
From Chimney and Ringing Of Bell
Tell Fate Of Ballots.
Remarkable precaution and secrecy
are observed in the election Of a pope.
Tor COO years It has been the custom Of
the lord chamberlain to call the CON
claye Of the cardinals ten days after
the pope's death to begin the work Of
choosing his successor
The conclaye takes its name from the
fact that the cardinals are locked up In
conelayeH in a room In the Vatican,
shut off from all communication with
tie outside world, says the New York
Herald
On the day of the eonclave all are
summoned from their cells BY d 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 the
Vatican officials. Their clothing and
even their food Is searched lest they
should contain correspondence from
friends outside. If, by the greatest ex-
ercise Of leniency, visitor is admitted
he must speak to the immured cardinal
through a grating Of iron and In a tone
loud enough to be heard by the watch
ers. After night Of this seclusion the
concIaVe is formally assembled early
next afternoon, and all repair to the
Sistine chapel where a desk has been
provided for each cardinal In the mid
die Of the hall are six tables and be-
hind these an altar.
Immediately In front of the altar is a
table on which are two chaliees for
holding the ballots. Before proceeding
further a search is made in the chapel
to assure the c0nclave Of the fact that
none but those entitled to vote are pres
ent. Three inspectors Of the election
are then chosen by ballot Should any
cardinal be SO i'll that he is unable to
leave his dormitory a committee Is APP
pointed to visit him and take his vote,
which is brought to the conclaye sealed
and deposited In one OF the chalices
Each cardinal writes on little table
in the corner Of the chapel the name Of
the candidate he would elect In the GEN.
ter Of the voting ticket This IS of an
oblong form. In the center are the
printed words, "Eiigo in Summum
Pentiaeem I'm. Dmmeum. p. Card" Il
elect sovereign pontiff my Lord Cardl-
nal -, after which the voter In.
scribes the name of the candidate he
would elect.
AT the foot Of the altar the voter lifts
up his hand and exhibits the ticket be-
tween his thumb and finger He then
kneals and prays for a moment. after
which be takes oath that he is about to
elect him whom, according 70 God, be
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 be makes anew
a reverence before the altar and re-
turns to his place.
When all have voted in like manner
the six telIers examine the papers and
proclaim the result. II no cardinal has
obtained the required number Of votes,
two.thirds Of the number Of cardinals
present, the result Is declared void ana
the voting papers, collected together,
are burned in a brazier with damp
straw. the dense smoke from which is-
sues through q 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
candidate on a SKIP Of paper eight inch
es iii 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 iii the order Of their
rank as members Of the college.
The burning Of the ballots closes
the session Of the day, and the conelaye
adjourns until the evening
Compromise candidates have several
times been taken by general agreement
whenever the race between two strong
cardinals became so close as to dead
lock the college. Proceeding with the
election by ballot, voting is continued
on the lines indicated until choice Is
reached and this y 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
poHtiaf and inquire if he accepts the
election
on receiving his affirmative answer
he is at once saluted by the entire col
lege. He then 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
the stalls of the cardinals, except that
Of the newly elected pope, and his holt
ness retires to robe himself in the pom
tlfcaI vestments.
on his return the fishermans ring is
placed on bis finger by the cardinal
camerlingo, and the new vicar Of
Christ gives his first solemn benedic-
ton to the members Of the sacred col
lege from the steps Of the altar. Then,