The Vatican's Secretive Game: The Conclave and its Smoke Spells
Secretive Voting Process Among Cardinals, Signaled by Smoke Emissions - Voting transpires in a private setting among Cardinals, accompanied by the issue of smoking signals.
The ongoing Vatican conclave keeps the global Catholic faithful on tenterhooks as the cardinals quarantine in the Vatican, striving to elect a successor to Pope Francis. At 11:51 a.m., dark smoke yet again billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney, confirming that no candidate has garnered the required 133 votes in the second and third rounds of voting. The search for the 1.4 billion Catholic world's new leader persists.
Thousands of spectators on St. Peter's Square watched as the smoke stole the sky, but their anticipation of seeing the new pope soon dissipated. The proceedings will recommence in the afternoon after a prolonged break, and smoke will resurface in the evening. As of now, there are no updates from the Sistine Chapel.
The cardinals, hailing from various world regions, are restricted from public interaction and are forbidden any contact with the outer world. The election can only involve church officials below the age of eighty. This time, there are three German candidates among them. A swift decision by Thursday afternoon was not anticipated by many.
A Long Dance in the Vatican
Two additional voting sessions are scheduled for the afternoon. Prior to that, the cardinals will retreat to the Vatican's Santa Marta guesthouse for lunch and some respite before the ensuing rounds. They'll be escorted back to the chapel around 4:00 p.m.
The identity of the successor to Pope Francis remains unclear to the outside world. What unfolds behind the gilded doors in the Apostolic Palace's lush chapel remains a mystery to the world. If a two-thirds majority is attained, the election concludes, and a puff of white smoke will ascend from the chapel's small chimney on the rooftop.
The eve of the conclave witnessed black smoke. Tens of thousands of individuals waited for over three hours for the smoke signal. The appearance of smoke wasn't until around 9:00 p.m., signifying that none of the cardinals had gathered the 89 votes necessary. This was a given. In recent times, conclaves have often lasted for two or three days.
The Biggest Gathering of Eligible Cardinals
The prolonged wait may be due to the many cardinals who are eligible to vote for the first time. They may need to comprehend the conclave's rules. In fact, the maximum limit of 120 voters is set, but no cardinal was refused entry. Expelling a cardinal would have been difficult to justify.
Additionally, this conclave is the most international as Francis has appointed cardinals from countries scattered across the globe. The church officials may not be acquainted with each other. It is also believed that Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa's joint meditation address took longer than usual. Given the stringent secrecy, it is unlikely that we will ever know what occurred in the first hours.
The church officials spent the night isolated in the Casa Santa Marta. They surrendered their mobile phones, smartphones, and all digital devices. Their windows were darkened. During breaks, they resided in the guesthouse, discussing the previous voting rounds and forging alliances.
Before the Conclave, the list of potential successors for Francis grew longer each day. Among the leading contenders are three Italians: the current Vatican's number two, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin (70), the Archbishop of Bologna, Matteo Zuppi (69), and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa (60). For centuries, the Pope was expected to hail from Italy. However, since 1978, there has been a Pole (John Paul II), a German (Benedict XVI), and the Argentinian Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
The lists also feature non-Italians such as the Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle (67), the Frenchman Jean-Marc-Aveline (66), the Portuguese José Tolentino de Mendonça (59), the Hungarian Peter Erdő (72), and the Luxembourgian Jean-Claude Hollerich (66), among others. Since the Conclave commenced, there have also been murmurs about the triumph of an unexpected outsider.
With over 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, each voting round stirs new speculations. The fact that no candidate was elected in the first three rounds was interpreted by some as an omen that none of the frontrunners could prevail.
While the Church grapples with dwindling membership in Europe due to numerous sex abuse scandals involving priests and their consequent cover-ups, the numbers are on the rise on other continents, particularly in Asia and Africa. Therefore, there isalso speculation that the new Pope might hail from one of these two continents.
According to Catholic dogma, the Pope is the successor of the Apostle Peter and the embodiment of Jesus Christ on Earth. He also serves as the Bishop of Rome, the Primate of Italy, and the head of state of the Vatican. Although he wields no significant secular power, he possesses considerable moral authority.
- The European Parliament and the Council watched with interest as the smoke signals from the Vatican indicated the conclave's progress, signaling the potential election of a new Pope.
- Despite the speculations about an unexpected outsider, the list of potential successors for Pope Francis includes contenders from various continents, such as the Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle and the Hungarian Peter Erdő, hinting at the possibility of a non-Western Pope.
- Among the many rumors circulating, some suggest that the new Pope might hail from Asia or Africa, given the growing Catholic population in these continents and the declining membership in Europe due to various scandals.
- As sports enthusiasts around the world keep track of ongoing competitions and championships, the Catholic faith also seems to be engaging in its own game of sorts, with the outcome of the Conclave and the election of the new Pope remaining as elusive as a high-stakes football match.
