The unprecedented news of Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation was announced on February 11, 2013 and undoubtedly surprised many. According to his own public announcement, the reason he would resign officially on February 28 is due to poor health and lack in strength in body and mind. Apart from this reason, there are many other circulating theories explaining the Pope’s departure many of which are in response to the Vatileaks revelations. The Vatileaks are leaked Vatican documents allegedly exposing corruptions and sex scandals within the Vatican. The pressure of these waves of exploitations within the Vatican may have caused the Pope to resign. Most Popes have held office until death; however, Pope Benedict is the first in over 600 years to resign.
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| Pope Benedict XVI |
The question now follows, “What happens after the 28th of February?” As Pope Benedict himself has said, a conclave will have to be convened in order to begin the procedure of electing a new pope. The century-old process of electing a new pope has been set in motion.
The cardinals, the highest ranking Catholic clergy, are responsible of choosing a new pope. A papal conclave is a century old ritual where the College of Cardinals gather to vote in absolute secrecy for a new Bishop of Rome. Public campaigning is not allowed, although such a papal election is highly political. Theoretically, any baptized Catholic male can become Pope; however, it is likely that another cardinal will aspire to the position of Bishop of Rome.
During the conclave which takes place in the Sistine Chapel in Rome, there should be absolute secrecy from the cardinals participating in the vote. They are not allowed contact with the outside world. The cardinals should, eat sleep, and vote inside until the new Pope has been elected. It is generally not a very quick process; it can take days, and it has once taken nearly three years. The numbers of cardinals voting changes as cardinals die or reach the age of 80 since only cardinals under the age of 80 are allowed to vote.
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| Lightning Strikes basilica |
Once inside the chapel, the cardinals take an oath of secrecy. They have an optional single ballot on the first day, but from the second day, two ballots are held in the morning and afternoon. On the rectangular ballot paper is printed "Eligio in Summum Pontificem" ("I elect as Supreme Pontiff") with space below for the cardinal to write the name of person to his choice. Each cardinal then places the ballot paper inside a chalice after saying :
"I call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected."
After every cardinal inside has voted, the ballots are counted. This process continues until the needed majority for a new elected Pope is reached.
The majority needed it two-thirds of the vote, with an additional vote if the total number of voting cardinals cannot be exactly divided by three. However, after 30 ballots of deadlock, it can be decided that the procedure will be changed into a majority of half between- given that more than half of the College of Cardinals agree to such an arrangement. Or is can also be agreed that the vote be restricted to only two candidates.
After every ballot, smoke emerges from the Chapel to signal if a new pope has been elected. While black smoke signals indecision, white smoke confirms that a new pope has been elected. After white smoke has emerged from the chapel, it takes a short while before the identity of the new pope is revealed to the public. The new Pope accepts the position and chooses his name he wants to be known by.
This process will take place once again after Pope Benedict officially resigns on Thursday 20th of February 2013. There are already a few likely candidates, such as Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana. The new Pope would have to make revolutionary changes to the Vatican and Catholic religion in order to redeem the church from the many scandals now revolving around fraud accusations and sex offenses that have been leaked.
Kersenhout
Reann was a key participant in AlphaMax Academy's Portrait of Hope and Peace (Part 4)- The academy's message to the world.
