Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-08-21
SACRED COLLEGE OF
SlxTY.SlX CARDINALS
ELECTS NEW POPE


When complete the college of cardin-
| ais. which elects a new pope. consists
| OF seventy members. The college OF
| 900. which elected Pope Plus X. con-
| sisted of sixty three members, of whom
! nifty six were present at the conclaNe.
| or the sixty cardinals composing the
| present sacred college one was created
| by Plus IN, twenty-one by Leo KILL,
and thirty eight by Plus y. Under the
| late pontiff thirty seven cardinals have
died, OF whom three We're OF his own
! creation.
+, A different aspect would have been
presented by the sacred college prior
to the famous consistory of Nov. 81
! 1911. on the eve of which there were
only forty seven living cardinals. OF
| whom not more than forty would have
been In sufficiently good health to at
tend u conclave. In that consistory no
less than eighteen cardin were app
pointed. three of whom we're citizens Of
the United States.
The election Of popes by conclave
dates from the middle ages. In ancient
times the vote of the Roman clergy.
cast in the presence of the faithful, was
the elective power. 1t was not until
1859. under Nicholas IT,. that the pap
acp was completely EN- ancipated from
; the temporal ambition of its adherents
Gregory VII. was the last pope tn
make even . nominal concession to
| laymen.
Peasant May Become Pope.
| Theoretically, any one may be elected
pope. He need be neither cardinal
priest. nor vet an Italian. Sixtus V.
was swineherd in his youth: Cardin-
al Gotti's father was stevedore. while
the parents of Plus X We're peasants
AS soon as the pope breathes his
the cardinal chamberlain takes
possession of the apostolic palace. He
proceeds to the death chamber. assures
himself OF and instructs q notary to
certify to the fact that the pope is
really dead. Then the ring of the
fisherman is broken and the seal de-
stroyed. The body is embal,ned and
carried in procession to the chapel of
the Blessed Sacrament in the vatican
bascilica. where 1t remains for three
days. the feet protruding a little thru
an opening In the iron railing which
incloses the chapel. that the faithful
may approach and kiss the embroid-
cred slipper.
The nine DAYS OF fun eral service are
! gone thru with. During the last three
days the services are performed about
an elevated and magnificent cata falque
On each of these days five cardinals IN
turn give the absolution and on the
ninth day funeral Grafton is pro-
nounced The body is reverently put
| into a cyprus wood coffin. This is put
into leaden case properly inscribed
and then all is placed in a wooden box
| covered with red pail. and in this
condition it is carried to the last rest
| ing place. previously selected by the
deceased.
Shut Up in concIave.
| On the tenth day the cardinals as
semble in the forenoon and the pre-
| parations are made for the conclave
| All the persons who are to remain IN
| the conclave--as prelates. custodians.
| attendants on the cardinals. phvsic
| ians BARRIERS masons-are passed In
review and take an oath not to speak
even among themselves of matters con-
corning the election.
Every avenue leading to the conclave
excent the eight loopholes. is walled ur7
by the masons: but one door is left
| so that 1t may he opened by the late
coming cardinals or to let out any one
who NAV be expelled. or who for any
good reason may be obliged to go ont
One who leaves cannot return. This
only door has n combination lock. 10
be onened by the kew of the prince
marshal outside and Of the cardinal
! chamberlain inside.
The next day. after the mass Of the
Holy Ghost. the balloting begins, and
continues until some one receives the
necessary two thirds The ballots art
cast into a chalice on the altar.