The Irish standard., 1913-03-29
Mgr. Merry del Val.

the chapel were then sworn to secrecy
regarding the proceedings. A COM
mittee of the cardinals then inspected
\ the lodgings and also the work of
. sealing up the conclave. The archi-
tect Of the palace then delivered four
keys to the conclaye on silver SAL
Yer to Cardinal Oreglia. He retained
two and gave two to the marshals
Then gong sounded and the car
dinals went to their cells.
The marshals then called in stem
torian tones "All OUT and the doors
were locked within and without, not
to be opened until the traditional an
nouncement is made. Il have to an-
nounce a great joy; we have q pope"
The next day. August 1, the first
two ballots were taken and the in
terest of the greater part Of the civil
lied world was centered in two puffs
of smoke from Il tube above the roof
OF the. Vatican. They signified that
twice the princes Of the Church had
cast their ballots for a successor to
Potter and that no candidate had re-
ceived the necessary two-thirds vote.
. The Vatican. with its many half
board windows, looked as II it were
not inhabited. In tho glare Of the
sunlight the only other novelty in its
appearance was a long black pipe. like
an ordinary stovepipe, which passed
along the roof of the Sistine Chapel
into the air. 1t was this pipe on which
all eyes were fixed and on which
scores of cameras were focused.
. It was II a. H.. when a murmur
from the crowd drew every eye to the
chimney. A light puff Of smoke was
beginning to rise slowly and drift
away on the breeze. 1t increased a
little and then died away. This SEEM
cd to be a signal that a pope had been
elected, but a moment later tho smoke
reappeared in greater volume and
deeper color. Slowly it driftcd away
and it was quite ten minutes before
, it ceased. 1t was doubtful signal,
however, and the crowd waited fully
half an hour before it was convinced
that the first ballot had been futile.
There was the same uncertainty
following the evening ballot. The
smoke was again light colorcd, but no
prelate appeared on the balcony Of
st. Peters to announce the election
Of new pope and the spectators dis
persed:
Two more ballots were taken the
next day and two the day after, with
out result. On August Giuseppe
Sarto was chosen, receiving 81 votes.
Until the great schlsm conclaves
for the election Of a pope were held
in various towns outside of Rome, but
since then they have been held in
Rome, with the single exception of
the conclave Of Venice (1s0o). and in
most cases in the Vatican. There was
no place permanently chosen for the
purpose, but removable wooden cells
were installed in the various apart
ments of the palace grouped around
the Sistine Chapel, in which the scrut-
my of the ballots took place. For the
most recent conclaves it has been
necessary to arrange inner enclos-
ures within the vast but irregular pal
ace of the Vatican.
Each cardinal Is accompanied by a
secretary, known for this reason as
a conclavist, and one servant. After
entering the conclave they have no
further communication with tho out
side world save by means Of turning
boxes.
While q conclave is sitting crowd
still collects morning and evening in
the great square Of st. Peters, toward
the time Of the completion Of the VOTE
to look for the smoke which rises
from the burning Of the voting pa
pers after each session. Within the
conclave the cardinals, alone in the
common hall. usually the Sistine
{ Chapel, proceed morning and evening
to their double vote, the direct vote
and the "accessit." Sometimes these
sessions have been very numerous.
but in the case Of the last four popes
a well defined majority has soon been
evident and there have been four
,scrutinies.
Each vote is Immediately counted
by the scrutators, appointed in rota-
@tion. the most minute precautions be-
ing taken to insure that the vote shall
be secret and sincere. When one car
dinal has obtained two-thirds Of the
votes the dean Of the cardinals form
ally asks him If he accepts his elec-
a ton and what name he wishes to as
sumo.
AS soon as he has accepted the first
"ohodience" Or "adora tiOn" fokea