Religion: The Succession

As he stood over the body of Pope Pius XII, Eugene Cardinal Tisserant softly pronounced the words: “The Holy Father is dead.” With his words began a solemn interregnum that will end only when the newly elected Pope walks from the Sistine Chapel to bless the crowds waiting in St. Peter’s Square.

Since Pius XII had not filled the office that would become most important after his death, that of Camerlengo (chamberlain), the 13 cardinals in Rome on the day he died hurriedly chose one: 79-year-old Vatican Diplomat Benedetto Aloisi Cardinal Masella. One of his first duties was the breaking of the Fisherman’s ring worn by the late Pope as well as the larger papal seals used for documents. (Traditional purpose: to ensure against forging of papal documents).

Next, the new Camerlengo held daily meetings in the tapestried Consistory Hall with cardinals arriving from all over the world. Each cardinal had to be sworn not to reveal any detail of the papal election, and, in case he is chosen Pope, not to surrender any of the Vatican’s independence. Restrictions of the Camerlengo’s authority are severe; with the heads of the Sacred Congregations, he superintends whatever Vatican business may not be postponed but may not make major decisions. Sign of his office: an umbrella, ancient Oriental symbol of power, once used to represent the papacy in general.

Locked Door. The conclave will begin Oct. 25, end only when a new Pope is chosen. By week’s end it appeared that perhaps 50 of the 55 surviving members of the Sacred College (full strength: 70) would attend the conclave. Of the Iron Curtain cardinals, only Poland’s Wyszynski seemed likely to come to Rome. Hungary’s Josef Cardinal Mindszenty, living in the American legation in Budapest, and Yugoslavia’s Aloysius Cardinal Stepinac, ailing and confined to his village, almost surely cannot attend. Other doubtful participants: France’s Georges Cardinal Grente, 86, and Chile’s Jose Cardinal Caro Rodriguez, 92, both in poor health; Nationalist China’s exiled Thomas Cardinal Tien, ailing in a West German hospital.

Before the conclave, Vatican masons and carpenters will have walled off all except one entrance to a huge area surrounding the Sistine Chapel. The cardinals, each accompanied by two nonvoting assistants, or conclavists, will file through the remaining door into the barricaded area. The marshal of the conclave, usually a Roman nobleman, will lock the door.

Food will be cooked and served inside the conclave area, and cardinals will sleep in hastily partitioned three-room apartments. Only condition under which a cardinal may leave: serious illness certified to by three physicians, who are also locked up for the conclave’s duration.

White Smoke. Two ballots are taken each morning and afternoon in the Sistine Chapel. No cardinal may vote for himself, and a two-thirds majority, plus one vote, is necessary for election. Outside the chapel, open discussion and open lectioneering are permitted.

Outside the Vatican, crowds will wait expectantly, eyes fixed on a spindly stovepipe that juts from a wall of the Sistine hapel. Reason: ballots are burned with damp straw—which makes black smoke—when votes are inconclusive, burned alone -which causes white smoke—after a Pope has been chosen. After the deciding vote, he Pope-elect is asked simply: “Acciptasne -lectionem? [Do you accept the election?].” His solemn answer: “Accepto.”