INTRODUCTION:

Introduction to How the Papacy Works

The Catholic population, meaning those who have been baptized by the Roman Catholic Church, cracked the one
billion mark in 2001, according to the church's Pontifical Yearbook. Catholicism is by far the largest Christian
denomination in the world, and more than 62 million Americans belong to the Catholic Church.
Catholics look to Vatican City in Rome, where the pope lives, for their spiritual leadership. The pope is the head of the
Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican's head of state. The pope's governance of the Catholic Church is termed his
Papacy. You often hear the pope called by many other names, including Papa, Vicar of Christ, Holy Father, and
Bishop of Rome.
n this article, we will examine the jurisdiction of the Papacy of the Roman Catholic Church, discuss how someone
becomes pope, and review some of the duties a pope performs.

PapaI Authority
A Papal Who's Who
John Paul II was the either the 265th or 266th pope oI the Catholic Church, depending on the source. As the
head oI the Catholic Church, the papacy has always carried power and recognition, but there are some popes
who stand out through history. Here are a Iew oI them:
O $9 Pe9er (64 or 67) - Although he never carried the title oI pope or bishop oI Rome in his liIetime, he
is considered to be thefirs9 pope oI the Catholic Church.
O $9 Leo I (440-461) - He is one oI three popes known to have the title "The Great" attached to his
name. Leo bolstered the power oI the papacy by issuing the Pe9rine Theory. According to this theory,
Jesus appointed Peter as the head oI the Christian Church, and evidence is Iound in the scripture.
O $9 Leo III (795-816) - He crowned Charlemagne on Christmas Day in 800, an event that marked the
beginning oI theHoly Roman Empire.
O ohn XII (955-964) - He is believed to be the younges9 pope in history, elected at approximately 18
years oI age, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
O Innocen9 III (1198 - 1216) - He was elected pope at age 37. During a period when the imperial throne
was empty, Innocent agreed to be guardian Ior King Frederick II oI Sicily, whom Innocent would later
crown emperor oI the Holy Roman Empire. When Innocent accepted the guardianship oI Frederick,
Frederick's mother surrendered political rule oI Sicily to Innocent.
O regory XI (1370-1378) - He returned the papal seat to Rome aIter a nearly 70-year period in which
the papacy resided in Avignon, France. Later, aIter Gregory's death, this move back to Rome would
cause the rea9 $chism (1378-1415), during which there were two popes: one Irom Avignon and one
Irom Rome.
O lessed ohn XXIII (1958-1963) - He inIluenced church doctrine by convening the Second Vatican
Council, which brought together church leaders to discuss the possibilities oI modernizing 9he
church.
O ohn Paul II (1978 9o 2005) - He was the Iirst Slavic pope, oIten credited with helping to end
communism in Central and Eastern Europe. John Paul II was also the most traveled pope in history.
As head of the Roman Catholic Church, the pope is the supreme spiritual leader of the Church and controls the
church doctrine. With a billion followers, the pope's decisions impact societies and governments all over the world.
To understand the authority of the papacy, we should first understand a little history of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church dates back to the time of esus Christ, when Christ selected Peter to lead his Church. n the
book of Matthew (16:18) of the Bible, Christ says to Peter, "And say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon
this rock will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." This statement, now known as
the Petrine guarantee, gave Peter the fullness of power, according to the New Catholic Encyclopedia.
Many theologians believe the "rock" of which Christ spoke is Peter himself. Peter's original name was Simon; Christ
gave Peter another name, Cephas, an Aramaic word meaning "rock." Aramaic is the language that Christ spoke.
Knowing this, Matthew 16:18 can be interpreted as Christ saying that he is building his Church on the strength of
Peter. Further evidence of this conferment of power is in John 21:15-19, when Christ tells Peter, "Feed my sheep."
Upon Christ's ascension, Peter became the undisputed leader of the Church based on the powers given from Christ
to Peter. At some point in his life, likely at the end of his life, Peter moved to Rome to spread the word of Christ,
according to the New Catholic Encyclopedia. t was in Rome where Nero, the Roman emperor who persecuted the
church, killed Peter. Through his death, Peter became a martyr. His body was buried on Vatican HiII. St. Peter's
CathedraI was later erected over his grave.
During his life, Peter was never officially the bishop of Rome or the pope, but in honor of his work and his role as the
head of the Church, he is recognized as the first pope. Every pope since Peter is considered the immediate
successor of Peter, and not of that pope's immediate predecessor. A pope is considered to be carrying on the power
that Christ granted Peter. Today, a great amount of the pope's powers are derived from the Petrine guarantee, which
is etched in Latin around the perimeter of dome of St. Peter's Cathedral.
The pope's powers were bolstered in the First Vatican Council in 1870, when 433 bishops passed the decree
of papaI infaIIibiIity. This decree declared that the pope was infallible in matters of faith and morality. According to
the decree, the pope "is possessed of that infallibility with which the Divine Redeemer wished His Church to be
endowed."
The next two sections explain the process of papal succession.
The Passing of a Pontiff
Pope enedic9 XVI
Born: April 16, 1927
Birthplace: Marktl am Inn, Germany
Original name: Joseph Ratzinger
Elected pope: April 19, 2005

Only three days aIter his 78th birthday, Joseph Ratzinger was named as the successor to Pope John Paul II -- making
him the oldest Pope at the time oI his election in more than 250 years. During his Iirst mass as Pope, Benedict XVI
declared that he wants to work toward uniIying all Christians. He also stated that he wants to continue an "open and
sincere dialogue" with other religions.

Reportedly, Ratzinger took on the name "Benedict" in honor oI the last Pope Benedict (Benedict XV, an Italian, served
as Pope Irom 1914 to 1922).

An accomplished linguist much like his predecessor John Paul II (who spoke eight languages), Benedict XVI speaks 10
languages.

Life Highligh9s
O 1944 - DraIted into the Austrian Legion
O 1944 - Entered into basic training oI German inIantry; deserted German army
O 1951 - Ordained into the priesthood
O 1953 - Earned doctorate in theology Irom the University oI Munich
O 1969 - Accepted teaching position at the University oI Regensburg (where he later earned the positions oI Dean
and Vice President)
O 1977 - Named archbishop oI Munich and Freising; declared cardinal oI Munich by Pope Paul VI
O 1981 - Became PreIect Ior the Congregation Ior the Doctrine oI the Faith
O 2005 - Named successor to Pope John Paul II, takes name Pope Benedict XVI


When a pope dies, the non-theological authority of the papacy passes temporarily to the CardinaI CamerIengo, or
chamberlain, who is the Vatican's Secretary of State. Camerlengo has many responsibilities when the pope dies.
First, he confirms the pope's death by calling the pope's name three times without response. He then authorizes the
pope's death certificate, and closes and locks the pope's private apartment in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican.
The Camerlengo also organizes and presides over the election of the next pope.
At the time of death, the Camerlengo removes the Ring of the Fisherman, which the pope receives from the
Camerlengo upon his election. Popes have worn the Ring of the Fisherman for over 800 years, according toThe
Catholic Encyclopedia. The gold ring includes an image of St. Peter in a boat, fishing, encircled by the name of the
current pope. t and the pope's seals are destroyed during the Camerlengo's first meeting with the Cardinals following
the pope's death.
The pope's body lies in repose for nine consecutive days, during which time the Cardinals of the Catholic Church
celebrate the funeral rites. No one is allowed to photograph or film the pope while he is on his sickbed or after his
death. The Cardinal Camerlengo may permit post-mortem photographs for documentary purposes only after the pope
is attired in his pontifical vestments.
Prior to burial, the pope's body is placed inside a coffin that is encased in two others. The coffins are made of
cypress, elm, and lead. The pope is typically buried in the tombs below St. Peter's Basilica, where St. Peter is buried.
During the time between the pope's death and the election of a new pope, the world focuses on the tiny sovereignty
of Vatican City. n the next section, we will examine the complex process by which a pope is elected.
EIecting the Next Pope
The College of Cardinals elects a new pope in concIave, which is the process of sequestering the voting members of
the college in Vatican City so that they have no contact with the outside world. The word "conclave" comes from the
Latin phrase cum clavis, meaning "with key." The term is suitable since the cardinals are locked inside the Sistine
Chapel in the Apostolic Palace during the voting process.
A conclave begins no earlier than 15 days and no later than 20 days after the pope's death. Cardinals participating in
conclave stay in St. Martha's House, a hospice inside the Vatican that has 130 rooms. Arrangements are made to
ensure that the cardinals are not approached as they are transported between St. Martha's and the Sistine Chapel.
n 1996, Pope John Paul described the complex procedures that would be used to elect the next successor to St.
Peter, in an Apostolic Constitution called Universi Dominici Gregis (UDG). t is an accepted practice for popes to
publish the norms that regulate the election of their successors, and popes often make small adjustments to the
procedures. According to John Paul , these changes are made "with the intention of responding to the needs of the
particular historical moment."
The UDG laid out these rules for electing a new pope:
O The maximum number of electors from the College of Cardinals is 120. The college is currently
composed of 194 cardinals.
O Any cardinal who turns 80 before the day the Papacy is vacated, either by death or resignation, cannot
take part in the election. Currently, 135 cardinals are eligible to vote under this rule (15 of those 135
would be disqualified from the vote because the limit is 120).
O A two-thirds-plus-one majority is required to elect a pope.
O Two ballots each are held in the morning and afternoon, for a total of four per day.
O f a new pope is not selected after 12 to 13 days, the cardinals may choose to impose a majority vote,
which would allow selection of a new pope by a simple majority.
Each rectangular ballot is inscribed at the top with the words ligo in Summum Pontificem, meaning " elect as
supreme pontiff." Below these words, each cardinal writes down the name of the person he chooses as the pope. The
vote is done in secret with paper and pen. The voting cardinal then folds the ballot twice, holds it in the air, and
carries it the chapel's altar. He then says, " call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is
given to the one who before God think should be elected." The cardinal places the ballot on a plate that sits atop the
ballot receptacle and uses the plate to drop the ballot into the receptacle. After bowing before the altar, he returns to
his seat.
Three Scrutineers, who are selected by all of the cardinals, are charged with counting the ballots. Once the ballots
are collected, the Scrutineers count the ballots to determine if everyone has voted. f the number of ballots doesn't
match the number of electors, the ballots are immediately burned and another vote is taken.
Here are the steps for the vote-taIIying procedure:
1. The first Scrutineer takes a ballot, notes the name on it, and passes it to the next Scrutineer.
2. The second Scrutineer notes the name and passes it to the third Scrutineer.
3. The third Scrutineer reads aloud the name on the ballot, pierces the ballot with a needle through the
word ligo at the top of the ballot, and slides the ballot onto a string of thread.
4. Each elector notes the name that is read.
5. Once all ballots are read, the Scrutineers write down the official count on a separate sheet of paper.
6. The third Scrutineer ties the ends of the thread on which the ballots are placed in a knot to preserve the
vote.
7. The ballots are placed in a receptacle.
After each vote, the ballots and any notes regarding them are burned. Smoke from the burning of the ballots appears
over the Vatican Palace. f no pope has been chosen, a chemical is applied to the ballots in order to create bIack
smoke when burned. White smoke signals that a pope has been elected.
The newly elected pope remains pope for the term of his life, or until he retires. His reign is referred to as
apontificate. n the next section, you will learn what the pope does during his pontificate.
The Next Pope
Once the new pope is elected, he meets with the Cardinal Deacon, the
Secretary of the College of Cardinals, the Cardinal Dean, and the Master of
Papal Liturgical Celebrations. The Cardinal Dean asks the elected pope two
questions:
1. Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?
2. By what name do you wish to be called?
f the elected pope accepts, the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations
certifies the acceptance by the new pope, as well as the pope's choice of
name. The elected person immediately becomes the Bishop of Rome, which
gives him supreme power of the Catholic Church. Each Cardinal elector then
approaches the newly elected pope to pay homage and show his obedience
to the pope.
After an election, it is tradition for the oldest cardinal in conclave to step to the
balcony above St. Peter's Square and announce, "abemus papam," which
means "We have a new pope." The new pope then steps out on the balcony,
addressing the world as pope for the first time, and imparts theApostolic
Blessing.

Photo courtesy OIIice oI the Public Registrar
Public Papers
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As the newly elected pope accepts his new role, it is tradition Ior him to select a new name. This papal tradition dates to
533 and the election oI Pope John II, whose birth name was Mercurius, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia.
Mercurius is derived Irom Mercury, a pagan Roman god. Believing that a successor oI St. Peter should not carry a
name belonging to a pagan religion, Mercurius chose to change his name upon his election to honor a previous pope.

While some that Iollowed John II chose to retain their original name, it soon became commonplace Ior new popes to
choose a new moniker. The name change also symbolizes the new liIe that the new pope is entering as the head oI the
Catholic Church. Typically, the new pope selects the name oI his Iavorite Saint or a Iormer pope whom he admires.

John Paul II chose his name to honor his predecessor, John Paul I, who died just 33 days aIter being elected pope. John
Paul I chose his name to honor predecessors Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI.

Once his inauguration is over, the new pope begins the day-to-day duties of papal responsibility. As spiritual leader of
the world's largest religious following, and as the Vatican's head of state, the pope's responsibilities are vast. Here
are just a few of his duties and activities:
O Serves as bishop of the archdiocese of Rome, providing spiritual guidance to its members
O Appoints bishops and cardinals
O Presides at beatification and canonization ceremonies
O Spreads the word of the Roman Catholic Church through his travels
O Writes documents that define the Catholic Church's official position on issues facing the world
O Confers with global leaders and politicians about these issues
The role of pope has evolved greatly in 2,000 years. At one time, the pope crowned emperors and carried military
power. Today, the pope's secular power and duties are diminished, but the position still carries great spiritual
influence as the leader of the world's largest religious sect.

Photo courtesy FirstGov.gov
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