Vatican conclave to pick new pope as world waits for white smoke
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No pope has been elected on the first day of a conclave, so voting could continue for a few days.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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VATICAN CITY - Roman Catholic cardinals will on May 7 begin the task of electing a new pope, locking themselves away from the world until they choose the man they hope can unite a diverse but divided global Church.
In a process dating to medieval times, the cardinals will file into the Vatican’s frescoed Sistine Chapel who died in April
For centuries, no pope has been elected on the first day of a conclave, so voting could continue for several days before one of the red-hatted princes of the Church receives the necessary two-thirds majority to become the 267th pontiff.
There will be only one ballot on May 7. Thereafter, the cardinals can vote as many as four times a day. Black smoke from a chimney on the roof of the chapel marks an inconclusive vote, while white smoke and the pealing of bells will signal that the 1.4 billion-member Church has a new leader.
The pope’s influence reaches well beyond the Catholic Church, providing a moral voice and a call to conscience that no other global leader can match.
Cardinals in recent days have offered different assessments of what they are looking for in the next pontiff.
While some have called for continuity with Pope Francis’ vision of greater openness and reform, others have said they want to turn the clock back and embrace old traditions. Many have indicated they want a more predictable, measured pontificate.
Salvadoran Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez said he did not think the cardinals would retreat from Francis’ vision for the Church.
“There will not be a step backwards,” the 82-year-old, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. “It is not possible.”
“Whoever is chosen, I think it will be a pope who continues the work begun by Francis,” he said.
A record 133 cardinals from 70 countries will enter the Sistine Chapel, up from 115 from 48 nations in the last conclave in 2013 – growth that reflects Pope Francis’ efforts to extend the reach of the Church to far-flung regions with few Catholics.
No clear favourite has emerged, although Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle are considered the front runners.
No eavesdropping
However, if it quickly becomes obvious that neither can win, votes are likely to shift to other contenders, with the electors possibly coalescing around geography, doctrinal affinity or common languages.
Among other potential candidates are France’s Jean-Marc Aveline, Hungary’s Peter Erdo, American Robert Prevost and Italy’s Pierbattista Pizzaballa.
“Wait and see. It takes some patience,” Italian Cardinal Mario Zenari told reporters on May 6.
As in medieval times, the cardinals will be banned from communicating with outsiders during the conclave, and the Vatican has taken high-tech measures to ensure secrecy, including jamming devices to prevent any eavesdropping.
The average length of the last 10 conclaves was just over three days and none went on for more than five days. A 2013 conclave lasted just two days.
The cardinals will be looking to wrap things up quickly again this time to avoid giving the impression that they are divided or that the Church is adrift.
Some 80 per cent of the cardinals who enter the Sistine Chapel on May 7 were appointed by Pope Francis, increasing the possibility that his successor will in some way continue his progressive policies despite strong pushback from traditionalists.
Among their considerations will be whether they should seek a pope from the Global South where congregations are growing, as they did in 2013 with the Argentinian Francis, hand back the reins to Europe, or even pick a first US pope. REUTERS
