As of Thursday 28 February at 8pm, the See of Saint Peter became vacant. Pope Benedict XVI, who is now known as “His Holiness, Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus”, left the Vatican and went to the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo where he will stay until he returns to the monastery near the main headquarters of Vatican Radio where hewill reside till he dies.

Now that the ‘Sede Vacante’ has come into effect, the Swiss Guards who are normally assigned to protect the Roman Pontiff have taken their leave. The Gendarmerie or the Vatican police force has taken over in their stead. Benedict XVI is no longer using the Fishermen’s Ring and now wears an Episcopal ring. Cardinal Camerlengo and his associates will decide when to destroy the ring and the seal of the former German Holy Father. The Sede Vacante also demands that the Dean of the College of Cardinals, namely Cardinal Angelo Sodano, sends a letter to all the cardinals convoking them to Rome for the conclave.

The letter was sent on Friday 1 March.

Now that the throne of Saint Peter is vacant, the Church of Rome is entrusted to the government of the College of Cardinals.

Thanks to its consultative or democratic way of proceeding, the College makes up for the papal authority. It takes care of the public management of the ordinary business of the Church and prepares for the arrival of the cardinals for the conclave. Having said that, the College can never discuss nor decide on norms that are related to the election of the new Pontiff.

According to the Jesuit, Fr Federico Lombardi, the current director of the Holy See Press Office, the congregations of the conclave will begin their meetings next week. These are the days when the cardinals get to know each other better. They have ample time to discuss and highlight pertinent matters that the Church and society are facing.

During these crucial days, the cardinals try to individualize the spiritual profile as well as the characteristics of Peter’s new successor. In order for this to be done, total seclusion and isolation from the world is a must. The cardinals must distance themselves from the temporal domain in order to exercise their great responsibility to which they were called when they were given the cardinal’s hat. That is the reason behind so much silence and secretiveness that a conclave entails by its nature. The name cum clave meaning “with a key” signifies that the cardinals are locked in for the election.

Historically the conclave is both a very ancient and modern institution. It assures the election of the Bishop of Rome as head of the universal Church. The Sistine Chapel, where all conclaves started being held since 1878, undergoes intensive preparatory alterations. Workers and carpenters build an elevated floor of metallic pipes and wood as if to mark the distance that cardinals need to take from terrestrial things. The cast iron stove is erected inn an angle of the chapel, the same one used since the 1939 conclave, where the ballots and notes of the electors will be burned. On the outside, talented technicians put up the chimney that will emit black smoke if the vote is void or white smoke if a new pope has been elected.

After the established date of entry in conclave, the cardinal electors concelebrate in the solemn Mass called “Missa pro eligendo Romano Pontefice”. Together they listen to the homily of the Dean of the College of Cardinals. It is him who invokes the Holy Spirit to inspire them in their choice of Peter’s next successor. Following Mass, the cardinals, dressed in their traditional red dress, enter in procession to the Sistine Chapel chanting the “Veni Creator Spiritus”. Once in the chapel, they place their right hand on the Gospel and recite the solemn oath of fidelity to the secret of the conclave and opposition to any interference or pressure in the Pontiff’s election. Only then, the master of the liturgical celebrations, pronounce the words: “Extra Omnes!” “Out everybody!”

The conclave has started… ‘Veni Sancte Spiritus’.

Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap

SAN GWANN