[marshmallow]

An informative article for those of you who have questions about what happens when a Pope dies or who have no memory of a previous conclave.

[mike182d]

Not to make anyone feel old here, but I wasn't even born yet when they had the last conclave. :-)

[kellynla]

BTTT

[LizardQueen]

Thanks, I was 14 when the last one occurred and, not being raised Catholic, didn't really have a clue as to what was going on.

LQ

[stevem]

I'm not sure you they brace for it so much as they embrace the inevitability. I just returned last week from a vacation in Rome. Judging from what I have read about preparations, I'm pleased John Paul II hung in there until we returned. It sounds quite disruptive.

[NYer]

The Pope's death would then be announced to the people of Rome-- either by the vicar for the Rome diocese, Cardinal Ruini, or by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Ratzinger.

Cardinal Ruini

Vatican City - Cardinal Camillo Ruini, Pope John Paul II's deputy for Rome who is traditionally charged with breaking the news of a papal death, arrived at the Vatican early on Friday.

Ruini, who is also the head of the Italian bishops' conference, arrived at the Vatican around 08:30.

A Vatican spokesperson said on Friday the Holy See would make an announcement about the pope's condition later in the morning.

"A further announcement will be made on the pope's health in the late morning," the Vatican's deputy spokesperson Ciro Benedettini told reporters.

Earlier, the Holy See said the 84-year-old pontiff received the last rites on Thursday evening after suffering a heart attack and that his condition was "very serious".

It was highly unusual for the Vatican to reveal such details of the pope's condition, a signal that it was preparing the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics for the demise of their beloved pope.

Catholic Ping - Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[starfish923]

the "fisherman's ring" that is the sign of his office as Successor to Peter.

This always just boggles my mind. Peter, the fisherman who became a fisher of men. I sometimes forget the sense of history that Peter brings up.

[Lou L]

I recently read Dan Brown's (author of "Di Vinci Code") book, "Angels and Demons." It raises some very ominous possibilities of what could happen during the interrgnum period between a Pope's death and the naming of their successor. Anyone else read this? Thoughts?

[paleocon patriarch]

Time to take another look at the prophecies of St Malachy

St. Malachy O'Morgair (1095?-1148)
Maelmhaedhoc O’Morgair (Latin form: Malachy) was born in Armagh, Ireland in 1094. In 1148, he died in the arms of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, his biographer.

St. Malachy was reported to have possessed the powers of levitation, healing, and clairvoyance. While on his way to the Vatican to assume the post of papal legate for Ireland, he fell into trance and saw a line of papal reigns stretching from the successor to Innocent II and extending through centuries to the last of the line, identified as Peter of Rome.

Malachy assigned short descriptions in Latin to each pope when he committed his vision to paper. These mottoes usually refer to a family name, birthplace, coat-of-arms, or office held before election to the papacy. Some of the phrases are multiple prophecies, written with ingenious word play. For example, Pius II, who reigned for only 26 days in 1503, was aptly described as "De Parvo Homine" (from a little man). His family name was Piccolomini, Italian for "little man."

Sometimes the personal history of the pope plays a part in the motto given by Malachy. Clement XIII (1758-69), who had conenctions with the government of the Italian state of Umbria and whose emblem was a rose, was called by Malachy Rosa Umbriae, the "Rose of Umbria."

The passage of time has proved doubters of St. Malachy wrong, for his prophecies have turned out to be amazingly accurate. He even prophesied the precise date of his own death, and got it right. The prophecies concern the papacy, starting with Pope Celestine II in 1143. In all, 112 popes and their characteristics are listed from 1143 to the "end of the world."

Here are descriptions of the final popes according to Malachy:

Pastor et Nauta/Shepherd and Navigator: John XXIII (1958 -1963), patriarch of Venice (a city full of sailors) led his flock to a modernization of the Church through the Ecumenical Council. John chose two symbols for this Council -- a cross and a ship.

Flors Florum/Flower of Flowers: Paul VI (1963-1978) had a coat-of-arms depicting three fleurs-de-lis.

De Medietate Lunae/From the Half Moon: John Paul I (1978-1978) had the given name of Albino Luciani or "white light." Half-way into his short reign, a lunar eclipse occurred.

De Labore Solis/From the Toil of the Sun [Labore could also be Effort, Distress, Suffering, Trouble, leading to quite a few variations. The preceding is the usual translation.]: John Paul II was born during the solar eclipse of May 18, 1920.

De Gloria Olivae/From the Glory of the Olives: The Order of Saint Benedict has claimed that this pope will come from their ranks. Saint Benedict himself prophesied that before the end of the world his Order, known also as the Olivetans, will triumphantly lead the Catholic Church in its fight against evil.

Petrus Romanus/Peter of Rome: The Final Pope? "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock among many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people."

[youngtory]

I just hope that whoever will become the next pope will be a pope who shares the same views as the current one, otherwise the Catholic Church will become a disaster. Personally, I don't trust the European nor North America cardinals, I think that it should be an African, Asian, Latino or a member of Oceania.

[Starter]

It's been a long week. I read the title as "Vatican Bracing for Paypal", and thought it was some new way to take donations. I really need some sleep.

[null and void]

They vote. They burn the ballots. If there was no consensus, they mix straw with the ballots for white smoke. A successful vote has black smoke...

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger...

I thought the proper reference to cardinal's full names was like "Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger". Has that officially changed?

[johnb838]

What a break for Mikey Skee-ah-bo-bo. This will drive his dastardly crime right out of the news cycle.

[mike182d]

The next Pope either needs to come from Africa/South America, or he needs to be Chinese - they are some on-fire, die-hard, no-hold-barred Catholics.

Personally I'm hoping for a Chinese Cardinal that has faced extreme persecuation and even faced death for his faith. There's a strength there that cannot be found in "comfortable" nations where there biggest issue with the Church is having to enforce rules on contraception because they're "unpopular."

[traumer]

??...

[Salvation]

Conclave: Pope's 'electoral college' has moral values, no exit polls

Rome's Next Choice? [TIME: "Arch-Conservative" Ratzinger is top Papabile]

Lent in the Vatican: The Pope, the Curia, and the Conclave ( Who's On First )

POPE: 117 CARDINALS ON STANDBY FOR CONCLAVE

Papal Transition (what happens between one pope and the next)

Vatican Bracing for Papal Succession

When Sad Day Comes, Eyes of World Will Be on Papal Selection [How next Pope will be chosen]

Mahony Flies To Rome For Solemnities, Conclave (Cardinal from Los Angeles to Visit Vatican)

Papal Election and Succession