The Washington times., 1914-08-19
HOW A NEW POPE Is ELECTED

Inclosed by walls of stone and denied
all contact with the world, with every
action the common knowledge Of their
brothers and with well-nigh every
thought laid bare to scrutiny, with
emn oaths to God to vote according tc
The best dictates of their consciences
the Sacred College of Cardinals elect the
Pope, temporal head of the Roman
catholic Church.
The gathering of the cardinals, within
specially constructed walls inside the
clave.
Each step in the process from declar-
ing the death of the reigning Pontin to
naming his successor Is hedged about
by church laws centuries old. The pres
ent procedure Of the conclave and rules
for its membership, in essentials. date
from 12T, and were put forth by Pope
Gregory X His election was effected
only after the cardinals had balloted In
vain for two years and nine months.
The civil authorities in Viterbo, Italy,
finally locked up the cardinals In a
room, with the word that only the cleo
ton of a Pope would effect their re-
lease
Origin of conclave.
Pope Gregory X Immediately embodied
into a law the idea of the conclave, or
protected sitting Of the cardinals. Tho
nigh prelates seriously objected to the
new order, and in 1276 Pope John Xxx
resctnded it. For eighteen years the
old-time open elections were restored.
But finally Pope Celestine ". who was
elected only after another two years
and nine month"; of balloting, like IN
the election of Gregory X. restored the
conclaye. Pope Boniface VIII made the
conclaye rule into a canon, and the pro-
cedure comes down to the choice of
successor to Pope Plus X practically un-
Changed from The days OF Pope Boni-
face, in the thirteenth century.
c..sor really begins with the passing of
the breath of life from the body of
the reigning Pope. Immediately after
the death Of the Pontin the Cardinal
Camerlengo, who. as a representative
Of the papal household, taps the fore
head of the dead Pope three times with
a silver mallet and calls MIN by his
baptismal name. By tins judicial act,
performed in the presence OF the house
the death Of the Pontiffl The Fisher
mans ring and the papal seals are then
broken, and q notary draws up the act
which Is the legal evidence OF tho
Pope's death.
Duties of Cardinals.
With the death of the Pope estab-
lished, the call goes forth TO the car
dinals to assemble for the conclave.
During nine days the obsequies Of the
dead Pope are observed while the car
dinals resident in Rome are awaiting
the arrival of the other members of the
conclaye. The resident cardinals as
sist in the obseQuies, ana the arriving
members of the conclave Join In the
as they reach Rome.
All cardinals who have been legit-
mately appointed, who have the use Of
their reason, and who are present in
person have vote and voice in the con-
clave. No one else has part In the
election of Pope.
Shortly after the death Of Pom !
tiff, while his obsequies are IN progress, |
begin the preparations for the holding |
of the conclave. A section Of the build |
ng sufficient only to furnish bare ac-
to the cardinals and their |
attendants is absolutely inclosed by |
walls Of stone.
In the Inclosure.
Only one doorway OF communication
With the open parts of the Vatican IL
provided. The specially ,ncIosed seC-
ion is cut up into small cells, so
yrouped as to accommodate a cardinal
Ind his attendants in suite. A
litchen is included within the iDclosurs,
10 that even in the furnishing OF food