Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-08-18
ELECTING A NEW IO2E.
HOW THE coNcLAvE OF cARDIN-
AIS SELECTS A PoNTIFF.

Sdtion AiioWed with Any one FROM
Outside World-Rioht of Veto De.
MED Now--smoke From Chimney
Tells Fate Of Ballots.
Nine days after tie death of Pope
there are crowds in the streets about
the Vatican watching intently GER
tain chimney. out of which the
smoke "sfumata" from a little fire in
the conclave chamber will tell of the
success or otherwise of the voting
for the new pontiff.
The ballots for every vote that is
not conclusive are Immediately burn
ed in a brazer with damp straw, and
the smoke that this sends up, seen by
the waiting throng outside, tells them
that a choice has not yet been made
1t is one of the several peculiar
and ancient details of the great cere-
mony by which the new head of the
church is selected. The first is when
Cardinal Oregila, as Chamberlingo of
the Vatican. enters the room where
the dead body of the Pope lies. He
will have a little silver hammer in
his hand, and with it he will tap the
forehead of the dead man thrice, call
ing at each stroke his baptisimal
name, not by his Official title.
When the Pope, cold and silent in
death, does not answer the signet
ring. the Ring of the Fisherman"
will be drawn from the finger and he
will be then officially declared dead,
and the conclave that is to elect his
successor will be summoned.
This will meet in nine days. 1t
takes it's name from the fact that
the cardinals are locked up in con-
claye in room in the Vatican, shut
off from all communication with the
outside world.
On the day of the conclave all are
summoned from their cells by bell
thrice rung and repair to the assem-
bly, chamber. From this moment
until the result of the voting is an
nounced they have no communication
save with the Vatican officials. Their
clothing and even their foo4 is search
ed, lest they should cohEai' cores
pondence from friends outside. If,
by the greatest exercise of lienency,
a visitor is admitted, he must speak
to the immured cardinal through a
grating of iron and in tone loud
enough to be heard by the watchers.
After night of this seclusion the
conclave is formally assembled early
next afternoon. and all repair to the
Sistine Chapel, where desk has
been provided for each cardinal. In
the middle of the hall are six tables
and behind these an altar.
Immediately in front of the altar is
a table on which are two chalices for
holding the ballots. Before proceed
ing further a search is made in the
chapel to assure the conclave of the
fact that none but those entitled to
vote are present Three inspectors
of the election are then chosen by
ballot. Should any cardinal be SO
i'll that he is unable to leave his dor
mitory, a committee is appointed to
visit him and take his vote, which is
brought to the conclave sealed and
deposited in one of the chalices.
Each cardinal writes on a little
table in the corner of the chapel the
name of the candidate he would elect,
in the centre of the voting ticket.
This is of oblong form. prepared ac-
cording to the directions III the bull
of Gregory XIV.
In the centre are the printed words,
"Eligo in Summum Pentificem RIM.
Dmmeum, D. Card" Ct elect Sover-
eign Pontiff my Lord CARDINAL.
after which the voter inscribes the
name of the candidate he would elect.
At the foot of the altar the voter
lifts up. his hand and exhibits the
ticket between his thumb and finger.
He then kneels and prays for mo-
ment, after which he takes cath that
he is about to elect him whom, acord-
ing 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 rev.
erence before the altar and returns to
his place.
When all have voted in like man.
ner the six tellers examine the papeT5
and proclaim the result If no Car
dinal has obtained the required num-
Der of votes-two-thirds of the num-
Der of Cardinals present-the result
is declared void, and the voting pa
pers, collected together, are burned
in a brazier with damp straw, the
dense smoke from which issues
through a particular chimney, visible
from outside and proclaims to the out
er 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 slip of paper eight
inches 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 into the
bowl nearest his desk. All follow
in the order of their rank as members
of the college.
The burning of the baaots closes
the session of the dav, and the con-
elave is adjourned until evening At
the evening session an opportunity is
given to those cardinals representing
foreign powers to state whatever
serious objections may exist to any o.
the candidates, and which, in the
event of that candidates election as
Pope, might operate to the disadvant-
age of the Vatican abroad These
objections are duly considered. Twice
In the present century have the for
eign cardinals successfully opposed
the election OF leading candidates.
The right of veto claimed at one time
By France. Germany. Austria and
Italy is net now recognized.
Compromise candidates have sew
eral times been taken by general