The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1914-08-27
Public Is Admitted During
First Day-Door Seldom
Opened Thereafter.
Prelates Locked Up Until
Choice is Made-Meth-
DDS of Balloting.

"HE procedure attending the
choice Of new pope is full OF
interest. There was a time
when the election Of the su.
preme head Of the church was vested
in the cardinal bishop. with the con:
sent Of the other cardinals and clergy
and people of Rome. saving also the
honor due to the king Of the Romans"
But this recognition of kingly and
imperial right to interfere with the
papal elections was the cause of end
less troubles: 1t proved to be fertile
source Of anti-popes and other vexa-
tons. and finally became so tntoler-
able that Alexander Ill. took away
from the imperial line the locus standi
in papal elections. and general coun-
Gil later on. held at the Iateran, de-
creed the election should hencef0rtb
rest with the cardinals alone" This
Lateran decree was confirmed and de:
veloped at the councif&at Lyons pre-
sided over by Pope Gregory x. and In
all substantial features the discipline
then laid down still obtains in all pa
pal elections.
The immediate body or convention
which chooses the head Of the church
1s called a conclave. The building or
hall in which such convention is held
IL also designated by the same name
conclave. The election Of pope must
begin ten days after the death Of the
last incumbent. 1t is provided that
the election shall neither be delayed
nor precipitated. that the electors
should be in no fear for their personal
safety and that they must not be sub
jected to any external persuasion IN
casting their vote. Immediately upon
the death Of pope one Of the secre'
taries of the sacred college notifies
each cardinal Of the pontiff's demise
and summons him to the city in which
the pope breathed his last. The elec-
ton must take place in the same city
where the death occurs. Within ten
days the conclave must be constructed
in the Vatican ut Rome. or some other
suitable building II it be held In an
other city.
Holding the Conclave.
On tho tenth day solemn mass is
said. ut the conclusion Of which the
cardinals form in procession. and march;
to the conclave. The conclave Is open
to the. public during the whole OF the
first day. and friends Of the electors
are permitted to visit them. At
o'clock that evening the cOnclave Ia
closed: everybody is turned out except
the cardinals and their immediate at
tendants. and no visitors are allowed tc
enter the portals again until the elec.
ton Of pope has been declared. The
cOnciave is under the absolute charge
Of two guardians. One Of these is
prelate of high standing. previously
selected BY the sacred college. and Is
called the governor. The other Is
prominent layman whose official appel
)ati0u IL marshal. Each cardinal is
allowed to have two members Of bis
resident household in personal attend.
ance upon him. 4 number Of other
attendants and minor officials are also
there in the common service Of the
cOnclave. including sacrist. q monk
or friar. to hear confessions. two OF
three BARRIERS. eight or ten porters and
q number Of messengers. But one en-
trance to the building Is allowed to
remain open. and that is in charge Of
prelatic officials. They must exercise
n strict surveillance over everybody
xoang In or sOutS and prevent. the en-.
trance of unauthorized persons. They
must also examine the food brought
for the cardinals. for the purpose Ut
preventing outside communication with
them through this channel.
Three days after the commencement
Of the conclave. II no result has been
obtained. the supply Of food II restrict
ed The rule used to prevail that Il
at tbp end Of five days no election had
been made the cardinals were com
l,eiled to subsist upon bread. wine and
water. But during the last half century
the rigOr VI this rule has been much
Rnatetl aud modified. Every morning
and evening the cardinals meet In the
chapel. and u secret scrutiny BY means
Of voting papers ia instituted. so al to
ascertain II any candidate has obtained
the required majority Of two-thirds.
After the Pope's Death.
For the three days following the In.
terment Of the pontin the cardinals
meet In the hal! of the consistory and
receive the condolences Of the ambas'
sadors Of the various governments
whicI, have representatives Ut Rome.
This official ceremony at un end pre-
pNrntiOns are made to elect new
po,e and the meeting Of the cardinals.
officially known ax a cOncIave. IL call.
ed. The word conchve il especially
fitting to designate the meeting. It
comes from the word claws. meaning
key. and at the meeting the cardinals
are actually under lock and key. This
custom Of locking up the cardinals un-
til choice Is made can be traced back