Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-09-04
How Election of .Pontiff to
PapaI Throne Is Accomplished
Cardinals From All Parts Of World Summoned to College
at Vatican to Take Part in Selection of New Pope

walls, called gates, through which all
meals are passed and anything else
that is absolutely required. All this is
to avoid any communication with the
outer world and to prevent fraud or
political influence being used on The
cardinals in the casting of their votes.
The outside halls are also locked, and
the cardinal camerlingo keeps these
keys. Papal troops are drawn up in
attendance and are in charge of one
of the princes of the house of Chig1,
who also takes charge of some of the
outer keys and guards the conclave
from violence.
The most extraordinary precautions
are taken to shut out intrigues and
political influence.
ANY Catholic Eligible
Any man in the Catholic Church Is
eligible to the office of pope, be he
cardinal or bishop, priest or layman,
married or single The cardinals are
free in this matter but from the time
of Urban VI the custom has prevailed
of electing a cardinal, and an Italian
cardinal at that.
In the United States the law obtains
that he who is elected to the preSt-
dency must be born in the states, but
the Catholic Church is still more
democratic, for any man who is a
Catholic is eligible to the papacy. Only
pagan, a hereto or an excommuni-
Gated person is excluded from cleo
ton. Should a married man be
elected, he would have to separate,
like Peter of old, from his wife and
receive holy orders and episcopal con-
secration at the hands of the bishop
of Ostia.
Votes Cast Twice Each Day
The voting in the conclave takes
place in the chapel twice a day, morn
iY,u Nd n.
desk decorated with his coat of arms
assigned to him. Immediately before
| the election begins an Augustintan
monk celebrates mass. When the mass
Is concluded all the attendants with
draw, leaving the cardinals severely
alone. They then prepare to cast their
! first ballot. Two-thirds of the votes
must be given by ballot to validly ELECT
When the ballots are counted and
no one has received two-thirds vote
| the voting papers are taken to fire.
place and burned.
Crowds Watch Smoke of Ballots
The smoke ascending through cer-
| tain chimney is sign to an immense
| concourse of people assembled outside
| for news of the election and to obtain
the new holy fathers blessing that the
cardinals have not yet decided on any
one for pope. When they see the
| smoke they return to their homes, to
morning. as the case may be. Then
the cardinals retire to their apart
ments to await the next ballot. This
is repeated each day till a pope is
| elected.
When two-thirds OF the ballots are
given to any one person he is declared
pope and the conclave is over. The
youngest cardinal then rings a bell
and calls all the cardinals around the
newly elected.
Elected One May Refuse
The cardinal dean asks him If he
accepts the canonical election to the
supreme pontifcate. If he says he
accepts, forthwith he becomes pope
head of the church. bishop of Rome
father of Christendom. vicar of Christ
and sovereign pontiff.
Should he refuse. the chair is still
vacant and another election is in or
der. Should he hesitate, he is asked
three times. On his acceptance the
cardinal dean genufects before him
asking him by what name he shall be
known by Christendom in the future
and by this name he is known ever
after.