The norms, promulgated in 1996 by John Paul II, for the election of a Roman Pontiff also recognise that a vacancy in the office of the Bishop of Rome can occur not only as a result of the death of a Pope but also by his valid resignation (Universi Dominici Gregis, Part I, Chapter 1, §3 and Chapter 3, §77).

In February 2013, the norms were amended slightly by Benedict XVI’s final Motu Proprio Normas nonnullas.

Following a pope’s resignation, the office of the Roman Pontiff (the Pope) becomes vacant and a new Bishop of Rome needs to be elected. The current Holy Father will at that point cease to be the Bishop of Rome and will no longer hold the title of Pope and will return to the use of his baptismal name, together with the customary mode of address pertaining to a Cardinal Bishop, in all formal modes of address.

During the period of the vacancy in the office of Roman Pontiff, the governance of the Church will be entrusted to the College of Cardinals solely for the dispatch of ordinary business and of matters which cannot be postponed, and for the preparation of everything necessary for the election of a new Pope.

The College of Cardinals cannot, however, exercise any power or jurisdiction which is proper to that office of the Roman Pontiff. The Cardinal Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, currently Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has the duty of safeguarding and administering the goods and temporal rights of the Holy See.

It is the responsibility of the Dean of the College of Cardinals to convoke the Congregations of the Cardinals for the election.

The current norms determine that a Conclave to elect a new Pope must begin no sooner than 15 days, and no later than 20 days from the commencement of the vacancy (Sede vacante) of the See of the Rome.

The next Pope will be elected by the members of the College of Cardinals who are under the age of 80 when the Conclave begins. Cardinals over the age of 80 can however participate in the discussions of the General Congregations of the Cardinals which are held before the Conclave for the election begins. Cardinal electors and their assistants now reside in the purpose-built Domus Sanctae Marthae, built in 1996 within the Vatican.

The Third Lateran Council in 1179 decreed that a candidate must gain a majority of two-thirds of the votes of the Cardinals to be elected Pope. This was modified by John Paul II in the Apostolic Constitution, Universi Dominici Gregis who determined that if no candidate had been elected after 33 ballots, the Cardinal Camerlengo could invite the Cardinals to decide to elect a Cardinal who got more than half of the votes, that is by an absolute majority. However, this was reversed by Pope Benedict XVI in the Apostolic Letter De aliquibus mutationibus and determined that a Pope can only be elected by a two thirds majority vote no matter how many ballots are necessary.

Abdications or Resignations

Six Popes, each under very different historical circumstances, have either resigned or abdicated their office as Roman Pontiff: Pontian (in 235); Silverius (in 537); John XVIII (in 1009); Benedict IX (in 1045); Celestine V (in 1294); and, Gregory XII (in 1415).

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Nuntio Vobis Gaudium Magnum
I announce a Great Joy to You All
Habemus Papam…
We have a Pope….

The new Pope comes out and gives them his blessing. There is no longer a coronation ceremony, but the pontificate is inaugurated at a ceremony in St Peter’s a short time afterwards – in the case of Pope John Paul II it was six days later.

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The cardinals take an oath promising secrecy and the order is given, Extra omnes (“all outside”). The oath of secrecy forbids them to communicate with anyone not involved in the election, or even to disclose details of the votes when the election is over.

It is the duty of the Cardinal Camerlengo and three nominated Cardinal Assistants to ensure that there is absolutely no violation of secrecy before, as well as during and after the voting. Anyone found to have broken this obligation will be subject to “grave penalties” according to the judgment of the future Pope, not excluding excommunication.

During the whole election process, the cardinal electors must avoid all written and verbal communication with anyone not admitted to the areas set aside for the Conclave, except in extreme emergencies.

In addition, the cardinals cannot receive or send messages of any kind outside Vatican City and no one legitimately present in Vatican City can deliver such messages.

The cardinal electors are specifically prohibited, for the entire duration of the election, to receive newspapers or periodicals of any sort, to listen to the radio or to watch television.

All cardinals present whether or not eligible to vote, cannot reveal directly or indirectly information about the voting and about matters discussed or decided concerning the election of the Pope in the meetings of Cardinals, both before and during the time of the election. This obligation of secrecy also applies to the cardinals who are not electors but who take part in the General Congregations, which take up the day-to-day running of Church governance during the vacancy of the Holy See.

Even after the election of the new Pope, no information about the proceedings can be divulged without express permission from the Pope himself.

Any person found to have accepted or offered bribes, or made pacts, agreements, or promises to influence results will face automatic excommunication. The 1996 document also exhorts electors to avoid being influenced by ‘friendship or aversion’.

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The Papal Master of Ceremonies hands out voting papers, giving at least two or three to each cardinal. Nine cardinals are chosen by lot for three tasks: three are to be scrutineers, three are to collect the votes of those who are sick and unable to be in the Sistine Chapel but who are nonetheless able to vote, and three are to double-check the counting.

The ballot paper is divided in two: the top half carries the Latin words Eligo in Summum Pontificem (I elect as pope…) and the bottom half is blank for the name to be written in.

The handwriting on the bottom part should not be identifiable as belonging to any cardinal, and the inclusion of a second name will render the ballot null and void. The Master of Ceremonies and others leave, the doors of the Sistine Chapel are closed and the vote begins.

In order of precedence, each cardinal elector holds up his completed ballot paper. He then carries it to the altar and places it in a receptacle. He swears his vote is for his choice and puts the paper onto a plate, which he uses then to drop the voting slip into the receptacle on the altar.

When all votes have been placed in the urn (including the votes of any sick cardinals whose votes have been collected from the Domus Sanctae Marthae), the urn is shaken. A scrutineer takes the votes out one by one, in full view, and puts them into another container, making sure that the number of slips corresponds to the number of voters. If not, the ballot is void.

The scrutineers sit at a table in front of the altar. The first scrutineer unfolds each paper, notes the name and passes it to the second, who does the same. The third then reads out the name that has been written down and the electors can make note of the names and votes. The scrutineers write down the number of votes received by each name and the last scrutineer collects the voting slips by threading a needle through the word Eligo and collecting the slips on a thread which is then knotted. (The slips are burned at the end of the session, together with any notes the electors have made.)

The names are counted and if a name has received two-thirds of the votes, the Pope has been elected. The counting is checked by the third group of three cardinals (the ‘revisers’) who examine both the original voting slips and the scrutineers’ notes. The Chamberlain records the votes in each ballot on one sheet of paper and, after the election, this is given to the new Pope before it is stored in a confidential archive.

If the first ballot does not produce a result, the process is repeated for three days only. After three days of unsuccessful voting, the procedure is suspended for a day to give time for prayer, reflection and informal discussions.

The voting then begins again for a series of seven more ballots. If there is still no conclusion, another pause is taken before a further seven ballots. If this still does not produce a result, one more pause and another series of seven ballots follow. Finally, however, the cardinals are addressed by the Chamberlain about what to do next.

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Nevertheless, cardinal electors, if they arrive [before the pope is elected] would be admitted to the Conclave.

In addition to the cardinal electors, the following should enter into the Conclave:

1. The secretary of the Sacred College of Cardinals who performs the functions of secretary of the Conclave,
2. The Vicar General of the Roman Pontiff for Vatican City,
3. Sacristans,
4. Master of Pontifical Ceremonies,
5. Confessors,
6. Two doctors: a surgeon and an internist,
7. Architect of the Conclave,
8. Two expert technicians.

The afternoon of the first day of the process, the cardinals process to the Sistine Chapel, where voting has traditionally taken place beneath Michelangelo’s fresco of the Last Judgment. The revised rules make no mention of the tradition of the white smoke that signals the end of voting and a new Pope.

During the Conclave which elected John XXIII Vatican Radio mistakenly informed the world one day early that a Pope had been elected. At the Conclave which elected Paul VI, to avoid confusion concerning the colour of the smoke, electronic signals were installed, marked white and black, to inform Vatican Radio.

Traditionally, there were three methods of choosing the new Pope. The first was by acclamation, when all the cardinals agreed to one name proposed, without prior arrangement. This, however, appears never to have happened.

The second was by compromise, when a stalemate was resolved in one of three ways:

1. A simple majority plus one,
2. A ballot between the two strongest candidates,
3. Delegating the election to a small group of between nine and 15 cardinals.

Now there is only one method, a simple two-thirds majority (or two thirds plus one if the number is not exactly divisible).

Note: See the section Resolving Deadlock.

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The word itself comes from the Latin cum clave (literally “with a key”) and meant that the cardinals were locked in the Apostolic Palace until they produced a result.

Under the 1996 regulations, the cardinals are to be housed in a building inside the Vatican’s walls called the Domus Sanctae Marthae (St Martha’s House) and move from there to the Papal Palace and the Sistine Chapel for the actual voting process.

While they are moving to and from their new accommodation, they are forbidden to communicate with anyone not involved in the election.

During the vacancy of the Apostolic See, the Cardinals are to wear the usual black cassock with piping and the red sash, with skull-cap, pectoral cross and ring.

Others admitted to St Martha’s House for the duration of the Conclave and sworn to secrecy include:

1. The secretary of the College of Cardinals who acts as the secretary of the conclave,
2. Papal master of ceremonies along with two masters of ceremonies and two religious attached to the papal sacristy,
3. An ecclesiastic chosen to assist the cardinal dean or the cardinal taking his place,
4. Confessors
5. Two medical doctors,
6. Cooks and housekeepers.

At a suitable point, two ecclesiastics known for their sound doctrine, wisdom and moral authority have the task of presenting to the cardinals two well-prepared meditations on the problems facing the Church at the time and on the need for careful discernment in choosing the new Pope.

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During the vacancy of the Apostolic See, laws issued by the Roman Pontiffs can in no way be corrected or modified.

All heads of departments (including the Secretary of State and Prefects of Congregations) cease to exercise their office and the day-to-day running of the church is done by the College of Cardinals, called together by the Dean.

The routine business of departments is looked after by their Secretaries. Important decisions are taken by the College of Cardinals, but they have no power to take decisions that would normally be left to the Pope himself. One of the most important priorities is preparation for the election of the new Pope.

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Cardinals are still ranked as cardinal bishops, cardinal priests and cardinal deacons; even though (since 1962) they are all now required to be bishops before they are made cardinal.

Cardinals are major administrators of Church affairs, serving in one or more departments of the Roman Curia. Cardinals in charge of agencies of the Roman Curia and Vatican City are asked to submit their resignation from office to the Pope on reaching the age of 75. A cardinal’s title, while symbolic of high honour, does not signify any extension of the powers of holy orders.

Cardinals are not an “order” in the Church like bishops or priests and so they are not ordained as cardinals, simply appointed by the Pope, and make up the College of Cardinals. The creation of new cardinals ensures that there is a sufficient number eligible to vote (i.e. under the age of 80) up to a maximum of 120.

The 120, from all parts of the world and from very different cultures, are considered sufficiently expressive of the universality of the Church to make up the maximum number of electors and represent the Catholic community worldwide.

The proviso that those Cardinals who celebrate their eightieth birthday before the day when the Apostolic See becomes vacant do not take part in the election is explained in Universi Dominici Gregis, which states that the reason ‘is the desire not to add to the weight of such venerable age the further burden of responsibility for choosing the one who will have to lead Christ’s flock in ways adapted to the needs of the times.’

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The norms regulating the election of a successor have always been the remit of the Pope partly because of the need to take into account the “changing needs of the historical moment” and partly because the office of the Pope was divinely created. “The Shepherd of the Lord’s whole flock is the Bishop of the Church of Rome, where the Blessed Apostle Peter, by sovereign disposition of divine Providence, offered to Christ the supreme witness of martyrdom by the shedding of his blood.”

On the death of the Pope

The Chamberlain (Camerlengo) of the Holy Roman Church ascertains the Pope’s death in the presence of the Papal Master of Ceremonies and a number of other members of the Papal Household.

He notifies the Cardinal Vicar for Rome who in turn notifies the people of Rome. The Chamberlain seals the Pope’s apartments and begins to make arrangements for the burial. It is the Dean’s responsibility to inform all the cardinals, the Diplomatic Corps and heads of state.

Photographs or film of the Pope either on his sickbed or after death are not permitted.

If the deceased Pope has made a will and has named an executor, that executor will give an account of his activities only to the new Pope.

The Pope’s burial

Nine days of official mourning are declared and burial takes place between the fourth and sixth day after death (except for special reasons).

Popes are usually buried in St. Peter’s Basilica, where the body will have lain in state for people to pay their respects.

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