L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2025 L'Italo-Americano have concluded within a day, while others have stretched on for months; in rare cases, deadlocks among factions within the College of Cardi- nals have necessitated radical solutions, such as the famous election of Pope Celestine V i n 1 2 9 4 , w h o w a s c h o s e n after years of stalemate and was later canonized despite his voluntary resignation from the papacy. The delay was caused by the fact the strict rules established by Gregory X in 1274 were later suspended in 1276 by Pope Adrian V, only to be eventu- ally reinstated once more. To prevent such uncertain- ties, the modern conclave fol- lows a strict set of rules designed to guide the process toward a decisive result. Nat- urally, it is still carried out under strict secrecy: cardi- nals are sequestered within the Vatican, specifically in the Sistine Chapel, and are pro- hibited from communicating with the outside world until a new pope is elected; the elec- tion requires a two-thirds majority, and up to four ballots can be cast each day. After each round of voting, laity of Rome. Over time, the role of the broader Roman community diminished, and by the 12th century, the Col- lege of Cardinals emerged as the sole body entrusted with the election. This centraliza- tion was intended to safe- guard the Church's autono- m y , s t r e n g t h e n i n g i t s independence from secular authorities, and reinforcing the spiritual legitimacy of its leadership. The conclave itself contin- ued to develop over the cen- turies, with various popes introducing additional regu- lations to refine the process, including procedures for vot- ing, thresholds for election, and conditions of seclusion: for instance, in 1621, Pope Gregory XV established the method of secret ballot vot- ing, a system that remains the foundation of papal elec- tions today. Yet even with these adjust- ments, the election of a pope h a s n o t a l w a y s b e e n a straightforward process, and the conclave has occasionally been marked by dramatic events and significant politi- cal tensions. Some elections the ballots are burned: black smoke indicates no decision h a s b e e n r e a c h e d , w h i l e white smoke signals the successful election of a new pope. During the conclave, the cardinal electors are housed a t t h e D o m u s S a n c t a e Marthae, commonly known as the Santa Marta residence, w i t h i n V a t i c a n C i t y . T h i s g u e s t h o u s e , b u i l t i n t h e 1990s, provides simple but comfortable accommodation and allows the cardinals to remain close to the Sistine Chapel throughout the elec- tion. Santa Marta became famous for being the resi- dence Pope Francis chose after his election in 2013, preferring its modest setting and communal environment over the more isolated Papal Apartments in the Apostolic Palace. In the days leading up to the conclave, cardinals participate in official meet- ings known as "general con- gregations," where they dis- cuss the state of the Church and the qualities needed in the next pope. However, it is also well known that much of the preliminary discussion happens informally, with car- dinals often meeting over dinners around Rome during this period, exchanging views and quietly gauging support for various potential candi- dates. These conversations, though unofficial, play an important role in shaping the direction of the conclave even before the first vote is cast. This upcoming conclave will be the largest in history, with 135 cardinal electors under the age of 80 partici- pating; many of them were appointed by Pope Francis, echoing his efforts to diversi- fy the College of Cardinals by including representatives from Asia, Africa, and South America. Potential candi- dates for the papacy include Cardinals Pietro Parolin of Italy, Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, Peter Erdo of Hungary, and Peter Turkson of Ghana, but as an Italian proverb says, during the con- clave, se entri in Capella Sistina Papa, ne esci cardi- nale," if you enter the Sistine Chapel a Pope (that is, you're a favorite candidate), you'll leave it a cardinal." C h r i s t i a n c o m m u n i t y i n Rome participated in the selection process. In the first centuries of Christianity, elections were often public affairs, conducted openly, and heavily influenced by the local Roman population, who c o n s i d e r e d t h e b i s h o p o f Rome to be not only a spiri- t u a l l e a d e r b u t a l s o a n important civic figure. However, as the Church grew in influence and wealth, secular rulers increasingly sought to interfere in papal elections to advance their own political interests and, by the early medieval period, emperors, kings, and power- ful noble families routinely tried — and very often suc- ceeded — to place their pre- f e r r e d c a n d i d a t e s o n t h e papal throne. To counteract these exter- nal pressures, a major reform was introduced in 1059 by Pope Nicholas II with the papal bull In Nomine Domi- ni, which established that the election of the pope would be reserved primarily to the car- dinal bishops, though still requiring the assent of the lower-ranking clergy and T h e C a t h o l i c Church is prepar- ing for a historic transition follow- ing the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. His passing has set in motion the historical process of electing a new pope, with the con- clave scheduled to begin o n M a y 7 i n t h e S i s t i n e C h a p e l . I n t e r e s t i n t h e upcoming election has been particularly high, not only because of the significance of the moment but also due to the recent success of the film Conclave, a dramatization of these secretive and solemn proceedings, which received international attention at the Oscars. To understand the signifi- cance of the coming days, it is useful to reflect on how this tradition developed and why it remains central to the life of the Church. The term "conclave" origi- nates from the Latin phrase cum clave, meaning "with a key," a direct reference to the centuries-old practice of lock- ing the cardinal electors in a secure location during the papal election to prevent any external influence. This mea- sure was — and is — far from being merely symbolic, and still today cardinals cannot have any contact with the external world (including no access to television, the inter- net, or newspapers) during the papal election. The formalization of the c o n c l a v e p r o c e d u r e t o o k place in 1274 under Pope Gregory X, during the Sec- ond Council of Lyons: the i m p e t u s t o e s t a b l i s h n e w rules came after the death of Pope Clement IV, when the papal election that followed dragged on for nearly three years, causing significant dis- ruption and scandal. To pre- vent such a situation from recurring, Gregory X man- dated that the cardinal elec- tors be locked in a secluded area and provided with pro- gressively harsher conditions, including the reduction of m e a l s , s h o u l d t h e y d e l a y their decision — a rule, of course, no longer existing today! Before this formal codifi- cation, the election of a bish- op of Rome — and, by exten- sion, of the pope — was very close to early Christian practices, where both clergy a n d l a y m e m b e r s o f t h e CHIARA D'ALESSIO The road to a new Pope: a look inside the history and rituals of the conclave This year, 135 cardinals over 252 will take part in the Conclave, as only those under the age of 80 can cast their vote (Photos: Raul Garcia Herrera/Dreamstime; Bohdana Havaleshko/Dreamstime) HERITAGE HISTORY IDENTITY TRADITIONS

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