The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-08-21
SECRECY Wells
POPE'SELECTION
Extreme Precautions Taken
to Guard Cardinals Dur
ing BaIloting.
CHOOSE ONE OF SELVES
Members of Sacred College Sometimes
Take Weeks to Select Dead
Mans Successor.

Although the Pope OF Rome no longer
wIeIds temporal sovereignty over the
papal States there is no living monarch
who possesses the power which lies In
his hands. In the world there are nearly
go OO0, 900 Roman Catholics, and with them
his word is law.
The Pope's parliament consists of men
who have worked their way up, Just as
Plus X did himself. from parish priest to
the highest dignity, bar one, Of the Ro-
man Catholic Church. The college is
limited in number to seventy, and II is
from these seventy and by these seventy
sitting in solemn cOnclave, that new
pope is chosen.
"The Pope Is Indeed Dead"
On the death of a Pope. the work Of
administration is carried on pro tenn by
an executive council Of the College OF
Cardinals, the president being the
camerlengo. or chamberlain Of the Holy
Roman Church. This ofncial at once
first task Is to visit the death chamber.
There he calls thrice upon the dead Pope
BY his Christian name. and II the solemn
silence remains unbroken he declares
aloud The Pope is indeed dead"
Then he gently takes the famous fish,
ermans ring from the finger of the dead
man. A similar ring has been worn by
all Popes as a sIgnet ring for more than
five centuries II bears the device Of
St Peter fishing For each new Pope
new ring is made. the old one being
solemnly broken to pieces in the pres
ence Of the Sacred College.
The conclave OF the Sacred College
meets on the tenth day after the death
! OF the late Pope. At one time all the
cardinals were expected to be present,
but nowadays work Is commenced as
soon as two-thirds Of their number are
present. All the proceedings are char
acterized by extreme secrecy. The word
"conclave' means under lock and key,
and no special jury Is half so carefully
guarded as the jury OF cardinals to
whom is intrusted the selection OF the
new head Of the church.
Main Door Walled Up.
A whole wing Of the Vatican. which Is
the largest palace in the world, Is given
up to them. The windows are barricaded
except suficient to give light and air,
and even this part Is covered with white
curtains. In each room is constructed a
temporary cell made of wood. The main
door leading to the wing Is walled up.
On the afternoon OF the tenth day
IN the SIstine Chapel Then they re-
tire to their cells. Their friends at
tend them, and for a time all is hustle
and life. But at 8 o'clock In the even
ing a bell rings: every one must then
leave, except the personal attendants
Of the cardinals. The doors are locked
and no one may go in or out until the
new Pope. is chosen. There Is. however
this exception: II a cardinal arrives late
he has the right OF admission. Also. II a
cardinal in residence be taken Ill. he IL
permitted to leave; but in such a case ne
may not re-enter.
At eight next morning there IL service
In the sIstine Chapel. and afterwards the
first ballot is taken. There are two bal
lots each day. The ballot Is simply a
slip Of paper about eight by four inches
upon which each cardinal writes his
name, the name Of his choice. and a
sentence from the Scriptures The new
Pope must receive at least two-thirds of
the votes OF all the cardinals present
swear Choice Is Worthy.
The ballot papers are inspected by
three members OF the College, who are
chosen by lot II necessary, others are
selected TO take the votes Of those mem
bers OF the college who are not well
enough to attend chael. As the cardinals
are. many Of them, well advanced In
years. It Is often the case that some are
too feeble to leave their rooH
When the papers have been inspected.
each cardinal in turn walks to the high
altar, and, kneeling. utter this prescribed
form:
Il call to witness Christ the Lord. who
will be my judge. that 1 choose the one
who, before God. ought to be chosen.
and that will do the same at the &C
cessit."
The "accessit'' is the later ballot when
a cardinal, realizing that his first choice
has no chance of success. votes for a
second choice. The ballot over. the car
dinals retire to their rooms. where later
dinner is served separately to each.
Then comes an hour for siesta, after
which the cardinals time is his own, I'M
til half-past FIVE, when the second ballot
is called. At supper is served. then a
bell rings as the signal for retirement
for the night.
Snok Tells.
The ballot papers are burnt after each
ballot on a fire made Of damp straw. The
smoke upcurling from the tall chimney Is
a sign to the great crowds who are walt
ing outside, that no pope has yet been
chosen.
So, day by day the balloting goes on
and all the time precautions against COM
munication with the outer world are
never for a moment relaxed. Sometimes
balIoting goes on for weeks Once It con-
tinued for IO4 days Then the papers are
examined to make certain that he has not
voted for himself, for II he has done so,
then the whole election is null and void.
II all is well. the papers are again burned
but this time the smoke is not allowed to
escape.
The elected one is officially informed by
the three senior cardinals present. and
the dean solemnly asks Of him: DO you
accept your election, economically made. to
be the Supreme Pontin?'
Consent being given. the dean asks by
what name he elects to be known. and
this having been officially recorded. the
next step is the investiture in pontifical
vestments. The new-made Pope blesses
the cardinals, and. seated on his throne
receives their homage. Then the people
are told.