Posted on 04/21/2005 7:55:14 AM PDT by Loyalist
Pope Benedict XVI was elected by an overwhelming majority of his fellow cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, possibly rallying an impressive 100 out of 115 votes, Italy's La Repubblica has reported.
The exact number of votes in favour of Joseph Ratzinger will likely never be known, as records of the four ballots of this week's conclave have been sealed and can only be opened upon order of the pontiff himself.
But citing Vatican sources, La Repubblica said the German-born Pope won the support of far more cardinals than the strict two-thirds majority needed to be elected.
Pope Benedict was a favourite from the very first round of voting, the daily's respected Vatican expert Marco Politi reported, adding that the number of his supporters increased at each round.
"It was easy to elect him," the newspaper quoted Mexican Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan as saying.
In the fourth round Tuesday afternoon, Pope Benedict XVI may have garnered up 100 votes, one vote more than those garnered by his predecessor John Paul II in 1978, La Repubblica said.
In the first ballot, he got some 40 votes with the same number of ballots going to Italy's Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, it said.
But by Tuesday morning, many of the undecided had begun to converge on the former head of the key Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, the Vatican's top doctrinal authority.
Tuesday's lunch break was key, with liberal cardinals supporting Cardinal Martini deciding to back Pope Benedict XVI, although at least 10 cardinals refused to change camps, the daily said.
The high prelates broke into an applause as the scrutineers announced the result of the vote, but tension remained high until the new Pope accepted his elevation as pontiff. Then there was further applause.
Later that evening, the cardinals celebrated with a champagne toast at a dinner with Pope Benedict XVI, according to German cardinals.
-AFP
HOW CONVEEEEEENIENT! Quick, get the courts in King County to unseal the records!
Seriously folks, any guesses about which Cardinals were the holdouts?
Dan Rather is still holding out declaring Ratzinger the winner.
So much for believing that he will cause division in the Catholic church.
I wonder if the American Cardinals were more in the dissent than the average nation?
It is my understand that this is fairly typical in Papal elections. When it becomes obvious who will eventually garner the votes, most of the Cardinals will switch to the favorite. Nobody wants to be on the wrong side of the new Pope.
I've heard that Al Gore is planning on fighting the election results and demanding a recount, as he feels he won the pope-ular vote....
I don't think we're supposed to know. I can accept that there are things we should not know. That won't stop speculation however.
Uh huh...
I heard a few of the Cardinals accidently voted for Pat Buchanan. Well at least he is a Catholic.
This seems to have spoiled St. Malachy's prophecies, as Martini, the "glory of the olive", lost.
*cough* ...Mahoney... *cough*
The DUers think Bush and Karl Rove were behind all this.
I cannot wait for the Pope to gracefully accept Mahony's mandatory resignation in a few years.
.
I'll guess Danneels, Kaspar, Mahony.
I wouldn't be so sure ... RCM is a politician, and a weasel. He might have voted for B16 just to try to get on his good side. I seem to recall that Fr. Mahoney, before he was consecrated a Bishop, talked and wrote like a real conservative.
LOL, that would figure.
As a baptised Catholic male who attained the age of reason, Pat was elligable.
No. Birds aren't that stupid. Only democrats.
Dear ArrogantBustard,
You're correct that he seemed conservative enough before arriving in Los Angeles. I wonder, though, whether he was hiding his true colors, or whether he really actually changed over time.
He was appointed an auxiliary bishop when he wasn't quite 40. That's pretty young. I always wonder whether it went to his head.
I don't know.
sitetest
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.