Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-08-29
Outline of Many Peculiar Details
Connected With Great
Ceremony.
Cardinals VIII Assemble For
First Time i'm New Palace
of COnclave.
DETAILS and MANNER OF VOTING

The next cohcia'e'
choose a successor to Pope Plus x,
is a subject of pregnant interest to
tbe Catholic world and to those
outside the church as we'll. Follow
ing is an outline of the many
neculiar details OF the great cere-
mony by which the new head oil the
church will be elected:
Nine DAYS after the death OF the
pone the conclave meets to choose
his successor. The gathering takes
its name from the fact that the
Cardinals are locked up in con
clave'' and shut off from all COM
munication with the outer world
The next conclave will be the llrst 10
meet in the huge building con-
structed several years ago IN Ine
rear of the Vatican Palace, anu
which is known as the Palace OF the
Conclave. The palace has 2OO
rooms. distributed among seventy
apartments, each of which Will con-
stitute the accommodations needed
for one of the Cardinals when all
come together to elect a Pope. On
the day of the conclave all are sum-
moned from their rooms by Deli
thrice rung, and repair to the assem-
hIv chamber. From this moment
until the result of the voting is an
nounced they have no communication
save with the Vatican OFFICIALS.
Their clothing and even their food is
searched, lest they should contain
correspondence 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 pro-
yided for each Cardinal. In the mid
die of the hall are six tables and
behind these an altar. Immediately
in. front of the altar is a table on
which are two chalices for holding
the ballots. Before proceeding fur
ther, search is made to assure the
conclave of the fact that none put
those entitled to vote are present:
Each Cardinal writes the name OF
the candidate he would elect IN the
center of the voting ticket. Tnls is
of an oblong form, prepared accord
ing to the directions OF the pull OF
Gregory XIV. At the foot OF the
altar the voter lifts up his hand and
exhibits the ticket between his
thumb and finger. He then kneels
and prays for moment, after which
ne 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 1t from thence into the
chalice, which he covers up again.
Then he makes anew a reverence
before the altar and returns to MS
place.
When all have voted in like man
ner the six tellers examine the papers
and proclaim the result. IL no Car
dinal has obtained the required
number of votes-two-thirds OF the
number of Cardinals present-the
result is declared void. and the
voting papers, collected together,
are burned in a brazier with damp
straw, the dense smoke from wnich
issues through a particular chimney
visible from outside and proclaims
to the outer world that no election
has taken place.
Heretofore the closing OF the
ballots has closed the session OF the
day, and the conclave has adjourned
until the evening. Five years ago,
however, Pope Plus X. introduced an
important change in the method OF
electing his successor. Instead OF
having but two ballots each day the
new ruling provides for four ballots,
two in the morning and two in the
evening. Thus the conclayes in
future are expected to take just half
the time occupied during the last
seven centuries. Proceeding with
the election by ballot, voting is con-
tinued on the lines indicated until
a choice is reached. The result is
then announced by the ringing Of
bell and all the senior Cardinals ad-
vance to the place occupied by the
newly elected Pontiff and inquire II
he accepts the election. On receiv-
ing an affirmative answer, he is at
once saluted by the entire college.
The new Pope then retires to robe
himself in the Pontlfical vestments.
On his return the fisherman's ring
Is placed on his finger, and the new
Vicar OF Christ gives his solemn
benediction to the members of the
Sacred College from the steps of the
altar.
The Papal Chamberlain announces
the election from the balcony OF st.
Peters TO the assembled multitudes.
Finally the new Pope Is then led 10
the balcony OF st. Peters, from
which he blesses the people assem-
bled there.