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As 115 cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel for the beginning of the conclave to elect a new Pope today, TheJournal.ie examines the process which will lead to white smoke emerging in St Peter’s Square. This article was originally published on 11 February.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT of the resignation Pope Benedict XVI throws new focus on the peculiar mechanics by which a new pope is elected.
For only the ninth time in a century, the world’s cardinals will assemble in Rome for a secretive event – which could potentially take weeks – to decide on the new supreme ruler of the Roman Catholic Church.
Though it’s considered a monarchy by most political theorists – and, in fact, one of only six absolute monarchies, where the head of state holds total executive, law-making and judicial power – the papacy is a slightly more unusual one, in that it is elected.
The electorate, however, is limited: the power to choose a new Pope falls not even merely to the world’s cardinals (who number 209 at present), but those under the age of 80.
This means that, presently, there are only 115 voting members of the College of Cardinals.
The Sistine Chapel at the Apostolic Palace in Rome is probably best known these days for having had its ceiling painted by Michaelangelo – but it also has a special place in the role of the Catholic Church.
It is there – literally, under lock and key – where the College of Cardinals meet to choose a new pope. The members lodge in a purpose-built hotel adjoining St Peter’s Basilica, the Domus Sanctae Marthae, but the voting actually takes place in the Sistine Chapel.
The reason members are kept under lock and key is to avoid any interference from the outside the world: in the 13th century, political interference after the death of Pope Clement IV led to the decision to hold future elections cum clave (literally meaning ‘under key’).
During the conclave, as it has now become known, any outside media feeds to the Domus Sanctae Marthae is are disconnected and the members remain locked in with only each other for company.
Usually the timetable for the Conclave is relatively formulaic (though only because they usually follow the death of the incumbent). The outgoing Pope is usually buried between four and six days after their death, offering enough time for pilgrims to pay their respects before a new member is chosen. In the meantime, the cardinals will have begun to arrive in Rome to arrange and attend the funeral.
The conclave then usually begins to sit on the fifteenth day after the death, though this can be extended for a few more days to allow the arrival of latecoming cardinals. It is thought that a similar pattern will be observed next time, with the date of Benedict XVI’s resignation (February 28) as the date from which the others derive.
As they meet in Rome, the cardinals – including those who are not of voting age, but who can still attend the discussions – are formally addressed on two occasions: once in the days preceding the conclave, and once in the Sistine Chapel just before the doors are sealed.
The custom is that neither of the two people who address the cardinals are themselves eligible for election – ordinarily they are high-ranking civil servants within the Vatican, or cardinals who are retired and therefore ineligible for election.
In occasions where the outgoing Pope has died, there are often unofficial extra lectures – including the homily at the Pope’s funeral, and at a Mass held for the cardinals on the day before the conclave. In 2005, both were addressed by Joseph Ratzinger – who ended up becoming Pope anyway. Though his sermon at the pre-conclave Mass was described as a ‘pitch for the papacy’, it is generally considered that Ratzinger was not personally lobbying for the office.
With the final sermon given, the doors are locked – with the call, “Extra, omnes!”, demanding the evacuation of everyone unconnected to the conclave – and aren’t opened until the famous white smoke is seen.
The general formula of the conclave is that there are two elections every morning of the conclave, and two each afternoon. A successful candidate needs a two-thirds majority of the votes cast.
On the off-chance that there is a single stand-out candidate to take the papacy, a vote is held on the first afternoon of the conclave. If there is nobody elected, the members stop and begin to deliberate about the identity of the next members with the next vote held the following morning.
A candidate, by the way, does not necessarily have to be a cardinal themselves – in theory, any male who is not considered a persona non grata by the Holy See can be chosen – though it is exceptionally rate for someone outside of the ranks of the cardinals to be chosen.
Pope Benedict XVI’s election, marking the end of the Papal Conclave of 2005, is covered by British newspapers on Wednesday, April 20, 2005. (Martin Cleaver/AP)
Each member casts their vote anonymously, formally placing their ballot paper in a box at the chapel altar when called to do so. As they cast their vote, each cardinal takes an oath declaring their faith that the person named on their ballot paper should become the next supreme pontiff. It is not permissible to abstain.
After each vote, three officials (chosen at random as the conclave begins) verify the number of ballot papers cast, and ensure that the number of papers equals the total electorate. (If it doesn’t, they burn the papers without counting them.) Once verified, they then count the votes to determine if anyone has won.
Votes are taken in pairs: a first ballot, if unsuccessful, is immediately followed by a second, without any time in between for members to confer or deliberate in any way. If the second ballot is unsuccessful, the papers from both ballots are burned with the addition of special chemicals to ensure the smoke is black.
To avoid an infinitely long conclave, the process is suspended after three days – and then after each further seven ballots – so that members can be addressed by named senior officials. After 30 unsuccessful ballots, a day’s respite is called, after which only the two most-supported members stand in final run-off elections until one has won the two-thirds support needed.
Should a ballot result in a successful election, the ballot papers are again burned – but with the addition of chemicals causing white smoke, therefore indicating to the public outside that a new Pope has been found.
The formal appointment is made by the Dean of the College of Cardinals (assuming that the Dean himself is not the winning candidate, in which case the duty is performed by the Sub-Dean. This was the case in 2005.) The Dean summons two other senior officials to witness the ‘appointment’.
On the off-chance that the winning candidate is not already a bishop, they must first be ordained as a bishop – or, if circumstances need, as a priest or deacon in the first place. A layman nominated to be pope would therefore be ordained first as a deacon, then a priest, and then a bishop. Each of these ordinations is carried out by the Dean of the college.
Once this is done, the nominee is formally asked, in Latin:
Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?
The nominee presumably answers in the affirmative (anyone unwilling to accept the job will probably have made their objections clear before then) and takes office from that very second – there is no oath to take, and the nominee becomes the new Pope from the moment they indicate their willingness to take the job.
The new Pope is asked what papal name they want to take, and while a script proclaiming their election is written, they go into a small robing room where they get dressed in their new pontifical outfit and enjoy a brief moment of solitude and reflection.
When they have dressed, a senior cardinal leads the delegation to the main balcony of St Peter’s Basilica and gives the famous address, in Latin, including the words ‘Habemus papam!’ (‘We have a Pope!’) They announce the nominated cardinal, and the name they have taken on – and the new Pope emerges, delivering their first pontifical address.
In older times the conclave was followed in later days by an official coronation, where the new Pope was crowned (physically) with an elaborate crown known as the ‘triple tiara’.
However, since the austere inauguration of John Paul I in 1978, neither John Paul II nor Benedict XVI have opted for a formal coronation. In any case, the event is not necessary – the Pope takes office, and assumes the power, from the moment they indicate their willingness to do so.
Benedict himself will not take part in the conclave – his election to the papacy meant he lost his previous title as a cardinal, though even if he didn’t, he’d now be over the age of 80 to participate – but he will have dramatically shaped its outcome nonetheless.
As of today, Benedict has chosen 37 members of the College of Cardinals – a reasonable number given he has spent less than eight years in powers – including 28 who fall under the voting age of 80.
Though it’s not known for sure whether the plans will go ahead, in light of today’s news, this is due to be increased later this month: next week, Benedict was due to ‘cap’ another 22 new cardinals, including 18 who are under the age of 80.
This will bring the electorate to 136, a third of whom will have been chosen by Benedict himself – prompting the automatic disqualification of some older members, as the electorate is limited to 120.
The outgoing pontiff will therefore have a major imprint in the outcome of the election, whether he is present or not.
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Well he is making a very serious point and I hope his comments are noted by the powers that be. If we are sitting at home beside the fire it doesn’t matter if we don’t catch every word but if you are working out on the high seas it could be a matter of life or death.
it’s OK Mary they are all approved by rte first so no need to panic, what an organization is there anything they can’t do.
I understand him perfectlyaybe is some thing to do with me not being deaf, or stupid.
Maybe it’s because you can’t spell!
Maybe it’s because you’re not outside in the wind trying to hear it over machinery and an engine. Like how it was put in the article.
Mary, if he’s that serious about this issue, and the weather forecast is that important to him, why doesn’t he use headphones to block out the background noise.
I’m not racist, but.
Was the Fisherman foreign?
It’s a valid point and a difficult subject to broach. I have friends who work in the HSE who have told me they have similar issues communicating with foreign colleagues, one in particular was reprimanded a few years ago for telling a foreign nurse he couldn’t understand her over the phone and could she perhaps have a colleague repeat what she was saying. She accused him of racism, it was upheld, he was forced to apologise and sent for ‘training’.
The net result of this was that he, and others, are now afraid to tell foreign medical personnel that they are having difficulty understanding them. So rather than clarifying what would be important medical communication between departments and colleagues they fudge through it, hoping to Christ they catch any mistakes. I won’t reveal the ingenious methods they’ve developed to help with it but it’s sheer damn lunacy to tie peoples hands behind their backs like this and punish them for raising genuine problems that could be avoided.
I have had need in recent years to have had to ask for a second person to repeat what foreign medical staff have said to me.
I don’t apologise for seeking clarification on the information I am receiving if it is not clearly articulated.
This gentleman would appear to be doing the same.
The whole point of communication is that the message gets SAFELY from the sender to the receiver. If it does, it succeeds; if it does not, it fails. End of story: Evidently the failure rate in communicating the weather forecast is significant. Despite the feedback, RTE thinks it is of satisfactory standard. What should be made clear is by what measure does RTE establish this? Any failure by a National Broadcaster to communicate clearly to the breadth of its target Nation is open to ridicule: “Ex-centric” accents are for local radio? Communication is not a luxury about “isms” or notional employment “quotas” : It is, pure and simple, about an important Service being “Fit for Purpose”. To be brought up not to speak with something in the mouth is not actually about manners: It is about practical communication. So whether or not a forecaster who sounds as if they have something large in their mouth when speaking actually does or does not do so, the end result is equally ‘inconsiderate’ to the audience it purports to serve. Do not make fun of me if you think I know damned nothing: I assure you I know damned all …
If the complainant still cannot understand the forecasters despite their voice-training and prior approval from RTÉ then it’s clear that the training and standards used are not sufficient.
For those of us who listen to RTÉ Radio One, Harm Luijkx, for example, would be a familiar name over the last few years, and we may well be able to understand his English quite well at this stage through his Dutch accent over our DAB radios with little difficulty.
On a trawler out in the middle of the Atlantic, however, the MW or FM signal quality is somewhat more diminished than what we would experience on dry land, and coupled with the environmental noises of a working boat, it would be challenging to understand the most eloquent English accent, or that from middle Ireland.
The Met Éireann sea-area broadcasts are frequent reports broadcast on their own frequency, I’m certain the complainant isn’t bemoaning the forecasts on TodayFM or RTÉ, which are destined for the general public’s ear. Instead, the Sea Area forecasts are specifically destined for fishermen to protect their safety, they should be broadcast as clearly and without impediment as is possible, by forecasters speaking the vernacular in as neutral an accent as possible.
I wouldn’t have the same expectations for national radio broadcasts, it would be far to understand-PC to expect that.
*read “un-PC”*
Except This guys diction and pronunciation is absolutely perfect
Tell that to he West Cork or Connemara fisherman who, growing up listening to Montrose English over the radio, now has to train his ear to English with different pernunciation, intonation and irregularities such as glottal scrape. It’s fine for us on-shore to understand this, and if we don’t understand fully there’s likely to be no consequence, but for people whose lives depend on the clear delivery and understanding of the weather forecast it is absolutely imperative that the message is sent unencumbered by regional variation of accent.
David if you are at home or in the car you have nothing to worry about. Now consider being out on the high seas with a storm brewing and you need to hear every word then that’s a different matter.
I know we are entitled to our opinion and this is what this comment section is all about, but if you are not doing the job of the complainant then I think your opinion is invalid!
Met forecasts need to be made clearly and concisely in English that is easily understood. When you’re at sea in a near gale you don’t want a forecast that can be misinterpreted or is unclear, you need to concentrate and plan for improving or worsening conditions. It’s not like you need a forecast for a BBQ, it’s vital it’s understandable to all merchantmen, fishermen and yacht skippers.
Surely technology on fishing vessels has moved on from having to listen to the radio to find out what the weather is going to be like.
Spot on Duncan!! There are numerous met services available online and through other media outlets which are very accurate. Foreign crew members onboard fishing vessels complaining that they cannot understand the English!! Am I missing something?
Yes, clearly the guy is only making it up !!
Online? What do you suppose the broadband speed is like 200 miles off the west coast?
Yep. Just log onto the Internet and go to met.ie … What’s that I hear you say, “No internet 200 miles out in the Atlantic ? But how could that be ? …
Do you think it could be unnecessarily challenging using a smartphone or laptop to connect to the internet 200 miles out at sea, to read a weather report whilst operating a fishing vessel in north Atlantic conditions?
I can imagine listening to the radio hands-free is a vital source of health and safety information. It would be a shame to think this was being made unworkable due to low standards of broadcasting.
Someone in the Journal obviously had a family barbecue ruined by bad weather.
Freedom of information request into Met Eireann?! FFS!!
nothing as bad as rain on a bouncy castle for the chislers.
What the hell is with the sudden attack on Met Eireann?? Christ above!
you can be damn sure if it was the other way around something would be immediately.
What do you mean, John, if Met Eireann didn’t understand the fisherman.
In fairness to the fisherman there is a Dutch guy who reads the sea area forecast on the radio and it can be hard to make out what he’s saying
That guy has a really strong accent. If half my family weren’t Dutch I might have difficulty myself.
I guess the obvious thing to do would be to assess the quality of the broadcast at the point of reception in the environment it is heard in. I’m sure it’s perfectly understandable when the assesment is done in a quiet studio with excellent equipment. Wake up Met-eirann. Lives may depend on this.
You would have to respect his opinion as he’s the one whose crew is in danger ..Unless of course the fisherman’s name is Patrick ,whom spends his day posting on the journal ie .
Would the French put one of us in an official broadcasting position even if we fancied our own French accents ? Don’t think so !
Sure I can’t understand the announcements on the train or the bus and if you ask personally you get hrrrrh murhhh murrrrr , and that’s the Irish! Myself and my mother hopped into a taxi once and we got the same strange sounds and a finger pointing and a head nodding towards the door and to the taxi in front. We took that to mean we had to get out and go to the taxi in front! We shuffled out dejected and bewildered. At that moment I felt like a foreigner in my own land.
I’m not racist, but…
Racist ….lol !
- And here is today’s weather forecast ; -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfafno4HND4
I know an Antrim truck driver hauling tankers from Larne to somewhere in Cork. I’m from Louth and can make out both accents if I listen carefully but I sometimes wonder how he manages in Cork. So I don’t know how Met Eireann could possibly satisfy all the fishermen around the country.
Sea Area Forcasts employ a very limited and standard range of term and phrases.
They are never an extempore monologue on weather systems.
They could be understood (and certainly noted) by a properly-briefed non-native English speaker even if they had no real grasp of English for day-to-day purposes.
In a properly managed craft, one person on board should be assigned to listen to upcoming weather forcasts and note the details.
I think the skipper in question simply has a “thing”.
If he’s concerned with health and safety, he should get his skippering up to speed.
Building on my previous comment -
Example of text for today:
===================================================
Gale warning: NIL
Small craft warning: In operation
Meteorological situation at 0300: A weak ridge of high pressure over Wales and England declines, as a southerly airflow over Ireland freshens. Frontal troughs are approaching from the Atlantic and will cross the country later today and overnight.
Forecast for Irish coastal waters from Mizen Head to Loop Head to Rossan Point.
Wind: Southerly force 5 or 6 and gusty, decreasing force 4 or 5 later this morning. Winds will veer westerly later this afternoon and then back southwesterly overnight.
Weather: Rain, drizzle and some patches of fog at first. A clearance to scattered showers will develop during this evening.
Visibility: Poor in precipitation, good otherwise.
Forecast for Irish coastal waters from Rossan Point to Howth Head to Mizen Head and for the Irish Sea.
Wind: South to southwest force 3 to 5, winds increasing force 4 to 6 and gusty this morning, winds strongest on the Irish Sea. Winds will decrease south to southwest force 3 or 4 early tonight and veer southwest to west later.
Weather: Fair at first. Rain developing during the day, with some patches of mist and fog also. A clearance will spread from the west tonight.
Visibility: Moderate to poor in rain mist and fog, good otherwise.
Outlook for a further 24 hours until 0600 Tuesday 22 September 2015: Moderate southwest to westerly winds, will veer west to northwesterly later and may be strong at times along the southwest coast. Some fair weather, but some further rain or showers also.
===========================
It’s structured. There’s a formula.
If a skipper has any doubt of the ability of the assigned note-taker, then use a sheet with the formula in mind and boxes to note times, wind directions and forces, etc.
That should be done even if the person broadcasting could be understood by everyone in the universe.
I am not too familiarised with fishing or its practice, but do people really rely on the radio forecast with the technology that is available to us nowadays??
It’s neither easy or cheap to get wifi broadband, or satellite-broadband, to a trawler several hundred miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Your iPhone’s not likely to work out there. VHF (medium-wave) broadcasts do a far better job.
thank you Brian, I just assumed that if the radio signal reaches that point, the 3g signal would do too.
No bother. 3G or 4G signals don’t have a great range, it’s pretty much line-of-site, whereas GSM signal can travel quite a bit further, depending on wavelength and frequency, to perhaps +/- 20 miles
Cheer up folks and think of Frank Kelly doing a trip around Ireland mimicking all the various accents to perfection, now he would really confuse the trawlermen :-) Not sure if this is on line, he had another skit where he took the pi** out of the announcements made by Aer Lingus pilots on the aircraft Naomh Bingo .
On the serious side have any of you heard the Kerry accent over your boats radio? Not knocking the Kerry people but I heard one boat talking to another and could not make out any of the conversation
Because in today’s digital age there is absolutely no other way to get a weather forecast other than RTE.
Being 200 miles off shore limits one’s options.
Surely they can also receive the reports in text format ? kind of a non story tbh.
Must be the only fisherman I’ve heard of that would use a met eireann forecast
He has a point. Rachel Allen read Friday night’s forecast and I couldn’t understand a single word she spoke.
Everyone is racist today, he’s not an exception. End of story.
Hang on a sec…I only ever see the forecast after the 6 or 9 news, but all of the forecasters are Irish. If he thinks they’re foreign, I don’t this the issue here is with them…
Unless he thinks people from the East coast are foreign.
Oh Avril, really?!?
Professional fishermen, as in those working out at sea for several days, don’t sit down watching the 9 o’clock news and at the end stand up and announce to their wives “right, the forecast is good, I think I’ll go out and do a bit of fishing”.
They need regular, up-to-date forecasts and these are broadcast every three hours on VHF (unless you have a VHF radio you won’t pick it up).
*think
Good idea Avril
Tá sé sách deacair Harm Luijkx a thuiscint anois is arís
Wrong station???
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