Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-04-20

OF VOTES
FOR POPE

PARIS, April 19.-~Thc next papa
%conclave ut Rome has become q sub
ject Of pregnant interest to the en-,
tire Catholic world, not only from q
spiritual, but also from a political
point Of view. The following is an
outline of the many peculiar and an.
cient details OF the great ceremony
by which the new head OF the church
is selected.
In the first place the occupant OF
the holy see is subjected, at the try
ing moment when his soul is about
to be required OF him. to formalities
that are elaDorately laid down and
which seem very much at variance
with the closing scene OF a human
life. In the presence of the members
OF the sacred college the sacristan
bishop administers the viaticum and
extreme JUNCTION. The grand peliten-
tiary gives the absolution. The peni-
@tential psalms are then intoned. The
expiring pontiff, If he have the
strength to do so, gives his benedic-
ton to the assembly, and the dirge
OF the mortuary hymns continues to
the end. The Camerlingo of the Vat
lean, in order to make the official rec.
ord of the death, takes up a small
silver hammer, with which he strikes
three light blows on the dead mans
head, and calls on him by his Chris
tian name.
Nine days after the death of the
pope the conclave meets to choose his
successor. The gathering takes it's
name from the fact that the cardinals
are locked up in "conclave" and shut
off from all communication with the
outer world. The next conclavc will
be the first to meet III the huge build
ing constructed several years ago in
the rear Of the Vatican Palace, and
which is known as the Palace of the
C%onclave. The palace has 200 rooms.
distributed among 20 apartments,
each Of which will constitute the ac-
Communications needed for one of the
cardinals when all come together to
elect a pope.
On the day Of the c%onclave all are
summoned from their Oo.ns by a bell
thrice ruhg, and repair to the assem-
ply chamber. IRON this moment IN
til the result of the voting is announc-
ed they have no communication save
with the Vatican officials. Their
clothing and even their food is search.
ed, lest they should contain CORE.
SpOndence from outside.
After a night OF seclusion the con.
clave is formally assembled early
next afternoon. and all repair to the
chapel. where a desk has been provid-
ed for each cardinal. In the middle
OF the hall are six tables and behind
these an altar. Immediately in from
of the altar Is d table, Gil which are
two chalices for holding the ballots.
Eefore proceeding further, a search
is made to assure the conclayc of the
fact that non but those entitled to
vote are present.
Each cardinal writes the name OF
the candidate he would elect, in the
center Of the voting ticket. This is
OF an oblong form, prepared according
to the directions Of the bull of Greg
DRY XIV. At the foot OF the altar the
yotcr lifts up his hand and exhibits
;akhc ticket between his thumb aid fin.
ger. He then 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 c~lialicc, which he covers up
again. Then he makes anew a rev.
erence before the altar and returns to
.hlsi place.
II When all have voted in like manner
tllc six tel!ers 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 de-
clared void, and the voting papers,
together, are burned in Il
brazier with damp straw, the dense
smoke from which issues through a
particular chimney, visible from out
side and proclaims to the outer world
that no election has taken place.
IAclCIOIOlc luc uuIAil5 u tuc .Ddl-
lots has closed the session Of the day,
and the conclave has adjourned until
the evening. -Four years ago, how
ever, Pope Plus X. introduced an i'm |
portant change in the method of elect
ing his successor. Instead Of having |
but two ballots each day, the new rul- |
ing provides for four ballots, two in
the morning and two in the evening. |
Thus the conclaves in future are ex-
pected to take just half the time oc-
during the last seven centu-
ries.
Proceeding with the election by bal
lot, voting is confined on the lines in
Dictated until a choice is reached. The
result is then announced by the ring
ing of a bell and all the senior cardi-
nails advance to the place occupied
by the newly chosen pontiff and sa-
luted by the entire college. The new
Pope then retires to robe himself in
the pontificial vestments. On his re-
turn the fisherman's ring is placed in
on his finger, and the new Vicar of
Christ gives his first solemn benedic-
ton to the members Of the sacred
college from the steps of the altar.