Cardinals from across the globe have gathered in Rome, Italy, for the highly anticipated conclave to elect the next Pope.
The ritual kicked off with a mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning.
Later, in the afternoon, the 133 cardinal electors will make their way to the Sistine Chapel, chanting the litany of the saints. Once inside, they will take a vow of secrecy before Michelangelo’s iconic frescoes, committing to the solemn task of selecting the new leader of the Catholic Church.
This conclave follows the recent funeral of Pope Francis, marking a significant moment in the church’s history.
Stay tuned for live updates as the cardinals begin their deliberations and voting process.
UPDATE :
Hope for a Pope that will foster unity within the church
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, has urged the cardinal who will elect the new Pope to put personal interests aside and choose someone who prizes unity in diversity.
Re reminded cardinals that the conclave is the highest church responsibility, and they must set aside “every personal consideration”.
Giovanni Battista Re
In his sermon, he said the new pope should foster unity within the church.
Re said the cardinals should elect someone “whom the church and humanity need at this difficult, complex, and turbulent turning point in history”.
“Let us pray that God grants the church a Pope who will be able to awaken the consciences of all, as well as the moral and spiritual energies in today’s society, characterised by great technological progress, but which tends to forget God.”
UPDATE :
Front-runners emerge
Among the frontrunners are Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.
Born on January 17, 1955, in Schiavon, Italy, Parolin has been a significant figure in the Catholic Church, particularly as the Secretary of State under Pope Francis since 2013.
Parolin’s journey began in a devout Catholic family, where he experienced a profound loss at the age of ten when his father died in a car accident. This tragedy shaped his early life and led him to pursue a vocation in the priesthood.
He was ordained in 1980 and began his diplomatic career for the Vatican in 1986, eventually rising to the role of Undersecretary for Relations with States from 2002 to 2009.
According to various observers and betting agencies, Parolin is favoured to secure between 40 to 60 votes in the initial round.
His supporters include influential figures such as Angelo De Donatis and Marcello Semeraro, who believe his experience and diplomatic skills are crucial for the church’s future.
Other notable candidates include Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, often referred to as the ‘Asian Bergoglio,’ and Cardinal Jean Marc Aveline, the archbishop of Marseille.
Both are seen as potential successors who resonate with the populace’s needs.
Tagle, in particular, is viewed as a candidate who understands the challenges faced by the church’s followers worldwide.
In a potential negotiation that could unfold during the Conclave, there are discussions about an agreement between Parolin and Tagle, where Tagle might step aside in exchange for a significant position within the Vatican, possibly as Secretary of State.
This kind of strategic alliance could streamline the voting and help solidify Parolin’s position as the leading candidate. The memory of the 2005 Conclave, where two leading candidates withdrew to allow for a compromise, looms large over the proceedings.
In addition to Parolin and Tagle, other candidates like Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo are also in the mix, each bringing their unique perspectives and support bases.
With the first white smoke anticipated later in the evening, the world watches closely as the cardinals embark on this sacred duty.
UPDATE :
What is a cardinal?
A cardinal is a member of the Sacred College of Cardinals, whose duties include electing the Pope, acting as his principal counselors, and aiding in the government of the Roman Catholic Church throughout the world.
Cardinals serve as chief officials of the Roman Curia (the papal bureaucracy), as bishops of major dioceses, and often as papal envoys.
They wear distinctive red attire, are addressed as “Eminence,” and are known as princes of the church.
UPDATE :
Who are the cardinals electing the new Pope, where does Africa stand?
133 cardinals from 70 countries will be sequestered from the outside world, their mobile phones surrendered and cell connection around the Vatican jammed to prevent them from all communications until they choose a new leader for the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church.
Pope Francis named 108 of them, choosing many pastors in his image from countries like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga, that had never had a cardinal before.
The late Pope’s decision to surpass the usual limit of 120 cardinal electors and include younger ones from the global south — often marginalised countries with lower economic clout — has injected an unusual degree of uncertainty into a process that is always full of mystery and suspense.
Africa accounts for 18 of the 133 cardinals eligible to vote for Pope Francis’ successor at this week’s conclave, according to the Vatican, although one of them, John Njue of Kenya, will sit out the session due to illness.
The electors come from Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, and Tanzania.
Many of the cardinals hadn’t met one another until last week and lamented they needed more time to get to know one another, raising questions about how long it might take for one man to secure the two-thirds majority, or 89 ballots, necessary to become the 267th Pope.
UPDATE :
The voting process explained
Each cardinal, in order of precedence, writes the name of their chosen candidate on the ballot, folds it, holds it aloft so it is visible, and carries it to the altar. There, a chalice is placed with a plate covering it.
Each elector says aloud, “I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one whom I believe should be elected according to God”.
The cardinal then places the ballot on the plate and uses it to drop the vote into the chalice, bows to the altar, and returns to his seat.
Cardinals who are present but unable to walk to the altar due to illness give their folded ballot to one of the scrutineers, who brings it to the altar and deposits it in the same manner, without reciting the oath again. – Vatican News
UPDATE :
Unwell cardinals to vote from their rooms
If any cardinals are too ill to be in the chapel, the three infirmarii visit them with a tray of ballots and a sealed box (previously shown to be empty, then locked with the key placed on the altar).
The top of the box has a slit where the folded ballots can be inserted. Once the votes are cast, the infirmarii bring the box back to the chapel, where it is opened in front of the electors. The votes are counted and added to those already in the main chalice.
UPDATE :
The count
After all votes have been cast, the first scrutineer shakes the chalice to mix the ballots. The last scrutineer then counts them one by one, transferring them into a second, empty container.
If the number of ballots doesn’t match the number of voters, all ballots are burned and a new vote is held immediately. If the count is correct, the ballots are opened and read.
The three scrutineers sit at a table before the altar. The first reads the name written on a ballot and passes it to the second, who confirms the name and hands it to the third, who reads it aloud for everyone to hear and records the vote.
Once all ballots have been read and the votes tallied, the final scrutineer pierces each ballot with a needle through the word Eligo and threads them together with string. The ends of the string are tied in a knot, and the ballots are stored for safekeeping.
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