Rumors about the ultra-secret voting for the next pope held at the Sistine Chapel next week have included stories about fierce competition between Italian and non-Italian cardinals, leaks about cardinals who want to dig into classified Vatican dossiers and a rotating list of names of the latest papal candidates du jour.
Is there a consensus among the 115 cardinals who will choose the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics? Perhaps. Will it be an Italian, such as Milan Cardinal Angelo Scola, or a South American, like Brazilian-born Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer? How about an American? Or will the next leader hail from Africa, Asia or Central America?
On Saturday, one of the few sources of official information on the Vatican gave reporters hints about the mood of the cardinals who will start the papal conclave Tuesday afternoon.
There's "no reason to believe it will take long" to have a new pope, Vatican spokesman the Rev. Fredrico Lombardi said. While he didn't elaborate, the words suggested a frontrunner or frontrunners had developed and that there could be a pope before Friday. Recent papal elections have not been long; both Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II were elected after two days.
In Saturday's briefing, Lombardi also denied any "huge discussion" among cardinals about when to start voting for a new pope. Leading up to Friday's announcement about the start of the conclave, Vatican reporters suggested that Italian cardinals wanted an earlier conclave to have more influence over the votes, leaving cardinals who had traveled to Rome less time to consider the candidates.
Through Saturday, cardinals had met nine times in General Congregations, which are pre-conclave meetings for discussing priorities for the church as well as deciding on a conclave date. Lombardi said Saturday that cardinals "unequivocally" decided on March 12 for the conclave, by a 10-to-1 margin.
Lombardi added that participants in recent General Congregation meetings have discussed hopes for the new pope, regional developments in the church and "improving the work of the curia" -- the mostly Italian cardinals who run the Vatican. The meetings will continue Monday There will be no General Congregation on Sunday.
The spokesman also detailed the timetable for the voting process. Cardinals drew lots on Saturday for rooms at the Casa Santa Marta, a closely guarded Vatican residence where they'll stay during the conclave. They'll move into the building Tuesday morning before the Mass Pro Eligendo Pontifice ("for the Election of the Roman Pontiff") at 10 a.m. at the Pauline Chapel. The chapel is connected to the Sistine Chapel, to which cardinals will proceed at 4:30 p.m. They will take an oath of secrecy, then anyone not taking part in the conclave will be asked to leave the building.
The cardinals will listen to a meditation by Italian Cardinal Prospero Grech about their responsibilities during the conclave and will vote up to two times. At 7 p.m., they'll pray and at 7:30 return to the Casa Santa Marta.
Aside from the two votes Monday, there will be four votes per day (one set of two in the morning, another set of two in the afternoon). The new pope needs two-thirds of the vote (77 votes), and if he is elected in just one vote instead of two, white smoke will arise from the Sistine Chapel at 10:30 a.m. or 5:30 p.m., depending whether the vote was in the morning or afternoon. If two votes occur, there will be either white or black smoke at noon and/or 7 p.m.
Black smoke means no pope was elected. Lombardi clarified that the new pope has to accept the position before white smoke is released, and said if smoke is released at night, the Sistine Chapel chimney will be lit up so onlookers can see it.
Starting Wednesday, the cardinals will have up to two votes before prayer and lunch at 12:30 p.m., and up to two votes at 4 p.m. before prayer at 7:15 p.m.
If there's no election by Friday, cardinals will pause on Saturday for a day of reflection and prayer. The voting would continue in that pattern (three days of voting with a one-day break) until the 34th voting round. Then there would be a runoff between the top two candidates.
When a pope is chosen and white smoke rises from the chapel, the bells of St. Peter's Basilica will ring, as they did in 2005 when Benedict was elected. Lombardi noted it took about 40 minutes between the white smoke and official announcement in 2005.
This year, it will be French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the senior cardinal deacon, who will stand on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to shout "Habemus Papam!" ("We have a new pope!"). He'll present the new pope, who will be in white papal cassocks (three sizes are kept on reserve) and give his first blessing as pope.
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Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Philippines
FILE - This Nov. 24, 2012 file photo shows the then newly-elected Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, Philippines, posing for photographers prior to meeting relatives and friends after he was elevated to cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI, at the Vatican. Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle's best response against the tide of secularism, clergy sex abuse scandals and rival-faith competition could be his reputation for humility. His compassion for the poor and unassuming ways have impressed followers in his homeland, Asia's largest Catholic nation, and church leaders in the Vatican. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi of Italy
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, of Italy, arrives for a meeting, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 5, 2013. Tuesday brought a second day of pre-conclave meetings with cardinals to organize the election process and get to know one another. With a handful of cardinals still traveling to Rome, no date has yet been set for the start of the conclave that will elect the new Pope. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Cardinal Oscar Maradiaga From Honduras
FILE - A Sunday Feb. 24, 2013 photo from files showing Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga, the 70-year-old archbishop of Tegucigalpa, giving mass at the metropolitan cathedral in the city of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. To many, Honduran Cardinal Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga embodies the activist wing of the Roman Catholic Church as an outspoken campaigner of human rights, a watchdog on climate change and advocate of international debt relief for poor nations. Others, however, see him as a reactionary in the other direction: Described as sympathetic to a coup in his homeland and stirring accusations of anti-Semitism for remarks that some believe suggested Jewish interests encouraged extra media attention on church sex abuse scandals. Both images will follow him into the Sistine Chapel conclave along with other cardinals named as possible successors to Pope Benedict XVI. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio, File)
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina
Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio walks in St. Peter's Square after attending a cardinals' meeting, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 6, 2013. Cardinals are meeting to discuss the problems of the church and to get to know one another because there is no clear front-runner in the election of the new pope. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri of Italy
FILE - This Nov. 24, 2007 file photo shows Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, from Argentina, after being elevated to cardinal as he greets relatives and friends, not pictured, at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, files)
Cardinal Pedro Scherer of Brazil
FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2013 file photo Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, Sao Paulo's archbishop, gives a Thanksgiving Mass for Pope Benedict XVI at the Cathedral in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Cardinal Odilo Scherer is known for prolific tweeting, appearances on Brazil's most popular late-night talk show and squeezing into the subway for morning commutes, just like most of the 5 million faithful in his diocese. Scherer is Brazil's best hope to be the next pope, and one of the top papal contenders from the developing world. (AP Photo/Andre Penner, File)
Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson of Ghana
ADD FEB. 12 - Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson talks to the Associated Press during an interview, in Rome, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. One of Africa's brightest hopes to be the next pope, Ghanaian Cardinal Turkson, says the time is right for a pontiff from the developing world. In the background is a painting of late Pope John Paul II. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Canada
Cardinal Marc Ouellet arrives for an afternoon meeting, at the Vatican, Friday, March 8, 2013. The Vatican says the conclave to elect a new pope will likely start in the first few days of next week. The Rev. Federico Lombardi told reporters that cardinals will vote Friday afternoon on the start date of the conclave but said it was "likely" they would choose Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. The cardinals have been attending pre-conclave meetings to discuss the problems of the church and decide who among them is best suited to fix them as pope. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Cardinal Angelo Scola of Italy
In this photo taken May 18, 2012 photo Cardinal Angelo Scola, Archbishop of Milan, gestures during a press conference in Milan, Italy. Angelo Scola, the archbishop of Milan, is seen as Italy's best chance at reclaiming the papacy, following back-to-back popes from outside the country that had a lock on the job for centuries. The powerful cardinal displays not only an ease with youth but also a desire to make himself understood _ a vital quality for a church that is bleeding membership. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of USA
Cardinal Timothy Dolan arrives for a meeting, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 6, 2013. Cardinals from around the world have gathered inside the Vatican for a round of meetings before the conclave to elect the next pope, amid scandals inside and out of the Vatican and the continued reverberations of Benedict XVI's decision to retire. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn of Austria
Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn arrives at the Vatican, Thursday, March 7, 2013. Cardinals from around the world are gathered inside the Vatican on the fourth day of meetings before the conclave to elect the next pope, amid scandals inside and out of the Vatican and the continued reverberations of Benedict XVI's decision to retire. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Cardinal Sean O'Malley of USA
Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, foreground, followed by cardinal Roger Mahoney arrives in St. Peter's Basilica to attend a vespers celebration at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 6, 2013. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
3/09/2013
Of New Pope Election, Vatican Spokesman Says There's 'No Reason' Conclave Will Be Long
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