Election of a Pope

Eduardo Cardinal Martinez Solano

    The pope, from the Greek pappas, meaning "father," is the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

    The Camerlengo, Chamberlain, announces the pope’s death, seals papal apartments and prepares for the burial.
    The Camerlengo is the Head of the College of Cardinals. Directs the election process. Governs the church until a new pope is elected. The Camerlengo now, at the death of Pope John Paul II, is the Spanish Eduardo Cardinal Martinez Solano, born in Baños de Río Tobía, Spain, Apostolic Chamber, Roman Curia  (http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmarsom.html).

    Cardinals gather at the Vatican to vote for a new pope in an election process that begins 15-20 days after the pope’s death. The number of Cardinals could be up to 120, under 80 years of age. Now there are 180 Cardinals, but only 117 are eligible to vote.
    This meeting of the Cardinals is called "Conclave" which means "under lock", because once they are in, nobody can come out nor enter in until the pope is elected, be it days or months... the place of meetings is the Sistine Chapel.

    Cardinals vote by secret written ballot in the Sistine Chapel. After counting, all ballots are burned with chemicals added to make the famous black or white smoke.
    Voting continues until one candidate receives more than two-thirds of the votes. After 30 rounds the cardinals may elect by simple majority. Three cardinals, replaced every three days, assist in the voting process.
    White smoke rising from the Vatican indicates a new pope has been elected.   
    A senior cardinal declares “Habemus Papam!” (“We have a pope!”) from the balcony of the Vatican.

    Who may be Elected?: In theory, any adult Roman Catholic male, though for centuries only cardinals have been elected pope.

    Cardinals gathered inside the Sistine Chapel on October 14th, 1978 to elect the successor to Pope John Paul I. After eight ballots, the Cardinals elected Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who chose the name Pope John Paul II.
 

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