The process of electing a new Pope has begun, and the process is a centuries-old process. The secret Conclave retains certain rituals and commences Monday 18th April 2005 to find a new successor to Pope John Paul II, who will be chosen by 115 Roman Catholic Electing Cardinals.
Secret Conclave
Uniquely the Cardinals are then shut into the Vatican until an agreement is reached – the word conclave literally indicates they are locked up "with a key".
The election process usually lasts a number of days, and previously it has even lasted weeks or even months, and some Cardinals in the past have actually died during the Conclave stage of the process. In one historic case it took just under three years for the decision to be made.
Absolute secrecy of the voting process is vital, and anyone who breaks this imposed silence may be excommunicated.
Security experts have checked the entire Sistine chapel for microphones or hidden recording equipment prior to the conclave being held.
Once the process of the Conclave begins no contact is allowed with the outside world barring emergency medical assistance. Those allowed into the Conclave with the Cardinals are 2 doctors, and priests to hear confessions and the housekeeping staff. All who swear an oath promising to retain absolute secrecy regarding the events in the Conclave.
Although the Cardinals that are aged over 80 cannot vote in the Conclave, it is usual for them to exert some influence on the election during preparatory meetings prior to the Conclave commencing.
Voting Rituals
The voting will take place in the Sistine chapel, "where everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God, in whose sight each person will one day be judged."
During the first day of the Conclave, the Cardinals hold mass before taking part in a procession into the chapel. Once in the chapel then the order of "extra omnes" is given (Latin for "Everyone out"), signalling the time for all those not involved in the election process to leave, and the doors are then closed to the public world.
Each Cardinal will then swear an oath of secrecy and then the elections can commence.
An option can be used to hold a single ballot on the first day afternoon, and from the next day onwards four ballots will be taken – two in the morning and another two in the afternoon.
On the ballot paper are printed the words, "Eligio in Summum Pontificem", which means "I elect as Supreme Pontiff" and then they write the name of their elected person underneath. The Cardinals will write the name in a way that they cannot be identified by their handwriting and the paper is then folded twice.
Then each Cardinal will hold up their ballot and in order of precedence carry it up to the alter and cry out, "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."
The counts are then mixed, counted and then opened. As they are counted a "Scrutineer" calls out the name of the one who received a vote, and then pierces each paper with a needle through the name "Eligio" – placing the ballots on a single thread.
