Until the election of the next pontiff, the ‘Church Princes’ must remain without telephone, without internet access or the media, and keep the secrecy about everything that happens during the choice
Cardinals start on Tuesday (6) to settle in the residence of Santa Marta and other dependencies of the Vaticanwhere they will remain isolated from the world during the conclave until the choice of Pope Francis’s successor. The identity of the future pontiff is the great unknown to 1.4 billion Catholics and for the world, after the reformist pontificate of the Argentine Jesuit aroused popular fervor and a division within the church. The conclave will officially start on Wednesday. From 15h00 (10h00 Brasília) of May 7, the telephone signs will be cut inside the Vatican to isolate the cardinals of external influences, announced the Holy See.
Until the election of the Pontiff’s High Pontiff, the “Princes of the Church” must remain without telephone, without access to the internet or the media, and keep confidentiality over everything that happens during the conclave. In the neighboring St. Peter’s Square, thousands of people will remain with the eyes facing the chimney installed on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel waiting to glimpse the white smoke, the first sign of the election of the 267th Pontiff. Bento XVI’s elections in 2005 and Francisco’s in 2013 took two days. But some analysts believe in a longer process in 2025, in particular because it is the most international conclave in history, with cardinals from 70 countries.
Secrecy
A total of 133 cardinals voters – under 80 – will participate in the election. Most were raised at this level during the pontificate of the first Latin American Pope. The high number of cardinals has caused Santa Marta’s residence, where they have been staying since the 2005 conclave, was small: a neighboring building, which usually houses Vatican employees, was qualified for the historic moment.
Before 2005, the cardinals stayed in improvised rooms in the more uncomfortable apostolic palace with few bathrooms, which motivated Pope John Paul II to determine the construction of Santa Marta’s residence. The residence, where Francisco decided to live, has rooms with private bathroom and services similar to those of a hotel. The distribution of the rooms between the cardinals was defined by draw.
The purples can enter their rooms between Tuesday and Wednesday’s Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica that precedes the Conclave. They must keep their cell phones well kept. Employees who will provide support during the election-doctors, lifts, cafeteria and cleaning services, among others-also swore on Monday to keep confidential about what will happen, under penalty of excommunication.
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This Tuesday, the cardinals will organize the last preparatory meeting, which happen almost daily since the death of Jorge Mario Bergoglio on April 21. At meetings, they address various issues about the church. Among the topics that have already been discussed are Vatican’s finances, the scandal of sexual aggression, the unity of the church and the profile of the next Pope. Debates should feed their reflection for final vote in the Sistine Chapel.
*With information from AFP
Posted by Victor Oliveira
Source: Jovempan
I have been working as a journalist for over 10 years. In that time, I have covered the news from all corners of the world, and written about everything from politics to business.I’m now a full-time author, and my work can be found at Global happenings. My aim is to bring you up-to-date news and views on global affairs, in a format that is easy to read and understand.
