Latest news with #Novemdiales
Sky News AU
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Cardinals from across the globe converge in Rome to begin sacred process of electing new pope
More than a billion Catholics from around the world await the decision of 133 cardinals who will on Wednesday begin the process of electing the next head of the Catholic church inside Rome's Sistine Chapel. The historical process, known as the conclave, was instigated by the death of Pope Francis on April 21, which was preceded by nine days of mourning, known as the Novemdiales. More than 200 cardinals, the senior members of the clergy, have gathered in Rome for crucial meetings ahead of the conclave, but only those under 80 years of age can vote. The College of Cardinals convened this week is the most diverse group in history, a representation of Pope Francis' efforts to broaden the Church's representation by appointing cardinals from across the globe, including in Africa, Asia and South America. While more than 50 of the cardinals are from Europe, predominantly Italy, 23 are from Asia, 18 from Africa and 10 from the US. The conclave will gather for Mass at St Peter's Basilica, where the Pope's funeral was held, before retreating inside the Sistine Chapel to cast their vote. The ceremony is shrouded in secrecy, as the cardinals evoke the advice of Jesus Christ to aid them in their choice, and preparations included scanning the chapel for covert listening devices. For centuries, efforts have been made to prevent outside influence from impacting the election, as former Kings and Queens have tried to intervene. Once voting begins, the cardinals will write a name on their ballot each day until a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote. Smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel will burn black each day until a new pope is elected, at which point Rome will erupt into celebration when the smoke turns white to signal the decision. EWT News' Vatican Correspondent Colm Flynn told Sky News Host Peter Stefanovic there is currently great excitement all around St. Peter's Square. "It's a bit like a major election… except, unlike a normal election, there is a huge spiritual dimension to this," Mr Flynn said. 'Before the whole thing kicks off it will start with a Mass of the Holy Spirit at St Peter's Basilica wherethey are getting down on their knees, looking up to the heavens and saying 'Holy Spitit, when we go in there, please guide us so that we make the right decision for the Church and for 1.4 billion people who rely on us to pick a good spiritual leader.'" Mr Flynn said the most recent elections all took about two days. However, the current election differs due to the strong diversity of cardinals to choose from all over the world, all with different priorities for their nations.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
When is the conclave? The Vatican sets date to elect new head after Pope Francis' death
With the death and funeral of Pope Francis comes the start of a sacred process of determining a successor that dates back many centuries. The papal conclave is private election held behind closed doors of Vatican City's Sistine Chapel, where 135 cardinals vote on who will serve as the next the head of the Catholic Church. The Vatican has revealed the date for when Roman Catholic cardinals from across the globe will meet in Rome and begin an election process that has previously lasted from around 25 hours to nearly three years. Pope Francis, who previously went by Jorge Mario Bergoglio, died on April 21 at 88 following a long respiratory illness. In March 2013, the Argentina native was elected as the 266th pope after previously serving as a cardinal. On the fifth ballot of his conclave, he received 90 votes out of 115, surpassing the necessary threshold of 77. He soon assumed the role, with his papal reign lasting over 12 years. With the focus now turning to the selection of his successor, here's what to know about the upcoming conclave. When does the 2025 conclave start? The papal conclave is set for May 7, when the cardinals will meet for morning Mass at St. Peter's Basilica with the purpose of praying for the wisdom needed to choose the next pope. Conclaves are usually held 15 to 20 days after the pope's death. How long do conclaves last? There is not set timeline for conclaves. The longest modern conclave lasted over five days when Pope Pius X was elected in 1903. Where will the conclave take place? Cardinals leave the basilica after attending the fourth Novemdiales mass held for the late Pope Francis in St. Peters Basilica on April 29, 2025 in Vatican City. The conclave will take place in the nearby Sistine Chapel, a chapel in Vatican City renowned for its Renaissance art that was closed to the public April 28. It will remain off-limits until the conclave is completed. How do conclaves work? The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops spells out in detail the protocols for the election. Throughout the election process, the cardinal electors must refrain from sending letters or engaging in conversations, including phone calls, except in emergencies. The cardinals will vote by secret ballot, proceeding one by one up to Michelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgment to say a prayer and drop the double-folded ballot into a large chalice. Four rounds of balloting take place each day until a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote. The result of each ballot are counted out loud and recorded by three cardinals designated as recorders. If no one receives the necessary two-thirds of the vote, the ballots are burned in a stove near the chapel with a mixture of chemicals to produce black smoke. If the electors fail to reach an agreement on a candidate after three days of inconclusive voting, a break of up to one day is allowed for prayer, free discussion among voters and a "brief spiritual exhortation," according to the Vatican. When a cardinal receives the necessary two-thirds vote, the dean of the College of Cardinals asks him whether he is willing to serve. If he is, the new pope chooses a papal name and is dressed in papal vestments. The ballots of the final round are burned with chemicals producing white smoke to signal to the world the election of a new pope. Is that real smoke? News of new pope delivered by stoves, chemicals and ballots Who can be pope? Technically, the cardinals need not choose a fellow cardinal to lead the church. The only actual qualifications are being male and being baptized as a Catholic. It has been almost 650 years, however, since the last non-cardinal claimed the job. Italian Archbishop Bartolomeo Prignano was unanimously elected in 1378 and became Pope Urban Vl. His death fueled the Western Schism, a period when a split in the church caused multiple popes to gain election at the same time. What was the longest conclave ever? The longest conclave in history took place in the 13th century. The papacy was vacant for nearly three years, or 34 months, until Gregory X was elected in 1271, according to the Catholic news agency EWTN Vatican. The cardinals had gathered in the city of Viterbo, about 50 miles north of Rome, where Pope Clement IV died in 1268. French cardinals wanted a French pope, and Italian cardinals wanted an Italian to lead the church. Local authorities finally locked the cardinals in a palace to help expedite the process that led to the election of Gregory, a native of Italy with strong ties to France. Gregory formalized rules for future votes, and the term "conclave" comes from his restructure of the process. How many popes have there been? The Roman Catholic Church has seen 266 popes during its nearly 2,000-year history with the first being St. Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ. Francis was the most recent pope, who was elected following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013. Contributing: Reuters; Marc Ramirez, Marco della Cava, Christopher Cann, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When is the 2025 conclave? Election for next to pope to begin in May
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Trump defends his AI-Generated Pope photo amid massive backlash, claims ‘I had nothing to do with it'
President Donald Trump gave clarification over an AI-generated photo of himself in a papal costume that was posted to his Truth Social account last week. Donald Trump, who is not Catholic, earlier joked with reporters that he would 'like to be pope,' stating that 'that would be my number one choice.' He also promised to make Americans 'more religious.' The White House's official X account later reposted the picture, which featured Trump wearing a white cassock, a Mitre hat, and a big gold cross around his neck. Trump's contentious social media post was made during Novemdiales, the nine days of formal mourning that the Catholic Church observes after Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88. The public, religious leaders from throughout the globe, and heads of state, including Trump, gathered to his funeral on April 26 in St. Peter's Square. St. Pope Francis' remains were interred in Mary Major, one of Rome's four papal basilicas. Trump, who is not Catholic, earlier joked with reporters that he would 'like to be pope,' stating that 'that would be my number one choice.' He also promised to make Americans 'more religious.' Also Read: Michelle Obama reveals she is in therapy amid marriage woes rumors; 'I've finished a really hard thing…' Trump breaks silence on his AI-Generated Pope photo When a Fox News reporter questioned Trump about the backlash he received from Catholics over the picture at an NFL draft announcement in the White House, Trump said, 'You mean they can't take a joke?' He clarified, 'You don't mean the Catholics,' adding that 'you mean the fake news media. The Catholics loved it. I had nothing to do with it. Maybe it was AI.' According to the Associated Press, local outlets called the tweet offensive and that it was the subject of multiple inquiries during the Vatican's daily conclave briefing on Saturday. In an X post, former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who is currently a senator for Florence, denounced the AI picture of Trump as pope, saying it 'offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the right-wing world enjoys clowning around.' Catholic Conference of New York State lambasts Trump The Catholic Conference of New York State also denounced Trump's remark, describing it as insulting and demeaning. In an X post, the group wrote, 'We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us.' On Monday, when a reporter asked, 'The fact the pope image was put out on the White House account—does it at all diminish the substance of the official White House account?' Trump disregarded the inquiry, stating that 'Give me a break. It's fine. You have to have a little fun, don't you?' Members of the College of Cardinals will choose Francis' successor at a papal conclave that is scheduled to start at the Vatican on May 7.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cardinals mull Pope Francis' replacement as Vatican prepares for conclave
Rome — It's been called "holy smoke." And it's color coded. Black and white plumes puffed from canisters over the weekend as pyrotechnics expert Massimiliano De Sanctis tested the mechanism that will signal the fate of the Catholic Church, and who will be the next man to lead its 1.4 billion followers. If the smoke that emerges from the chimney at the Sistine Chapel is black, it will mean the 133 cardinal electors inside for the papal conclave will continue voting. When it is white, it means they have elected the heir to St. Peter — and more recently, to Pope Francis. ''Until the election of Pope Benedict XVI, the smoke was carried out in the traditional way," explained De Sanctis, who owns the FD Group Fireworks company. "Ballots were burned to make black smoke and ballots were burned together with wet straw to make white smoke. But the Vatican realized that the smoke was not particularly intense, so it had an electrical control unit designed that controlled the classic pyrotechnic smoke.'' The nine-day mourning period for the late Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 on April 21 after 12 years leading the Catholic Church, officially came to an end Monday. As that period, known by its Latin name Novemdiales, came to an end, dozens of cardinals, carpenters and pyrotechnics experts were already at work preparing for the conclave to elect Francis' successor. Vatican firefighters installed the chimney at the Sistine Chapel over the weekend, along with the small stove in which the cardinals will burn their crumpled up ballots after each vote. The voting continues, with one round on the first day of the conclave and then up to four daily until one proves conclusive, with a new pontiff being chosen by a majority of two-thirds plus one of the 133 electors. Different ideologies at play as cardinals mull next Catholic leader That secretive process begins Wednesday, with the first vote, but the cardinal electors have already begun descending on Vatican City from across the world. And with them, comes the intrigue of the political campaign-like process of selecting one of their own to lead the church forward. Some of the believed front-runners among the cardinals would be expected to align with the policies and philosophies of Pope Francis if they were to get the Catholic Church's top job, including newly-minted Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius. He told CBS News over the weekend about meeting with many of his fellow cardinals for the first time. "I must say, I'm surprised that it's so peaceful and such a friendly atmosphere," he said. "If you read the papers, you get the idea that there are two parties fighting for power." "Of course there are different points of view," acknowledged Arborelius, who is attending his first conclave. "It's natural." Much like Francis was, Arborelius is a strong supporter of immigrants' rights. He said migrants to Europe have helped to keep Catholicism alive and well on the continent, making them "very important for the church." "I know there are exceptions, but still, we live in a global time, and it's nearly impossible to stop migration. And we need it also, I mean, in healthcare, care for elderly people, taxi drivers," he said, adding that, "of course, there has to be some kind of order, some kind of harmonious migration and integration" to ensure immigrant populations can thrive. The Swedish cardinal also hopes Francis' successor will push to integrate women — to a limited degree — more into the church's operations. "Some people are very eager to have female priests," acknowledged Arborelius. "But we cannot have that. So, it's important to show and to help women to find the positions and the work that they can do in the church." Asked why he, like Francis, backed more roles for women, but not priesthood, the cardinal said that, "according to our faith, Christ as a man is the icon of what it is to be a priest. Mary is the icon of what a woman can be in the church." "Of course, nowadays it's not easy to explain that," he said, noting the example of the Lutheran Church in Sweden, which he said now has "more female ministers than male." "So that's one of our tasks — to show that women have a very important place in the church, but we have to show what they can do and how they can do it. And I think Pope Francis has started this. For instance, now they always say in the Vatican state they have a prime minister who is a sister, Sister Rafaela. And on many issues, for instance I'm also a member of the Council of Economy, we have six ... experts in economy, all women, who help us to clear up the mess of the economy in the Vatican. So, I think there are many important tasks where a woman could do very much in order to help the church in the society of today." Others among the senior prelates gathering at the Vatican, however, have been openly critical of Francis, including German Cardinal Gerhard Muller, who has been a staunch defender of traditional Catholic doctrine. "Gay marriage is not possible, it's absolutely against the word of God," he told CBS News, adding that in his view, that impossibility extends to the practice of priests blessing same-sex unions — which Francis green-lighted in a landmark decision almost two years ago. "We cannot have a blessing in the sense of justifying of a behavior or of a lifestyle which is against the reason God Himself gave," Muller told CBS News, adding that he believes the next pope must bring more clarity to interpreting Catholic doctrine, "I think not only for me, but for all the Catholics in the world." It's possible that that diversity in viewpoints among the cardinal electors inside the Sistine Chapel could lead to a drawn-out conclave. In recent times, cardinals have decided on a new pope in just two to three days. The longest-ever conclave took place during the 13th century, in the nearby city of Viterbo. It lasted for nearly three years, and locals became so frustrated with the dithering that they removed the roof from the building where the cardinals were staying. They eventually elected Pope Gregory X. Typewriters making a comeback, thanks in part to Taylor Swift Limestone University announces closure, president told not to attend final graduation Church prepares for conclave as official mourning period for Pope Francis comes to an end
CBS News
05-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Cardinals mull Pope Francis' replacement as Vatican preps for conclave, fireworks expert tests "holy smoke"
Church prepares for conclave as official mourning period for Pope Francis comes to an end Rome — It's been called "holy smoke." And it's color coded. Black and white plumes puffed from canisters over the weekend as pyrotechnics expert Massimiliano De Sanctis tested the mechanism that will signal the fate of the Catholic Church, and who will be the next man to lead its 1.4 billion followers. If the smoke that emerges from the chimney at the Sistine Chapel is black, it will mean the 133 cardinal electors inside for the papal conclave will continue voting. When it is white, it means they have elected the heir to St. Peter — and more recently, to Pope Francis. ''Until the election of Pope Benedict XVI, the smoke was carried out in the traditional way," explained De Sanctis, who owns the FD Group Fireworks company. "Ballots were burned to make black smoke and ballots were burned together with wet straw to make white smoke. But the Vatican realized that the smoke was not particularly intense, so it had an electrical control unit designed that controlled the classic pyrotechnic smoke.'' A March 9, 2013, photo taken just before the conclave that saw Pope Francis elected to lead the Catholic Church shows the stoves in which cardinals' vows are burned and from which black or white smoke is emitted during a conclave, inside the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. Grzegorz Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio/Getty The nine-day mourning period for the late Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 on April 21 after 12 years leading the Catholic Church, officially came to an end Monday. As that period, known by its Latin name Novemdiales, came to an end, dozens of cardinals, carpenters and pyrotechnics experts were already at work preparing for the conclave to elect Francis' successor. Vatican firefighters installed the chimney at the Sistine Chapel over the weekend, along with the small stove in which the cardinals will burn their crumpled up ballots after each vote. The voting continues, with one round on the first day of the conclave and then up to four daily until one proves conclusive, with a new pontiff being chosen by a majority of two-thirds plus one of the 133 electors. Different ideologies at play as cardinals mull next Catholic leader That secretive process begins Wednesday, with the first vote, but the cardinal electors have already begun descending on Vatican City from across the world. And with them, comes the intrigue of the political campaign-like process of selecting one of their own to lead the church forward. A cardinal arrives at the Vatican for a College of Cardinals' meeting, May 5, 2025, in Vatican City, in Rome, Italy, two days before the cardinal electors will enter the Sistine Chapel to begin the papal conclave, the secretive voting process that requires two-thirds-plus-one majority to elect the new leader of the Catholic Church. Christopher Furlong/Getty Some of the believed front-runners among the cardinals would be expected to align with the policies and philosophies of Pope Francis if they were to get the Catholic Church's top job, including newly-minted Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius. He told CBS News over the weekend about meeting with many of his fellow cardinals for the first time. "I must say, I'm surprised that it's so peaceful and such a friendly atmosphere," he said. "If you read the papers, you get the idea that there are two parties fighting for power." "Of course there are different points of view," acknowledged Arborelius, who is attending his first conclave. "It's natural." Much like Francis was, Arborelius is a strong supporter of immigrants' rights. He said migrants to Europe have helped to keep Catholicism alive and well on the continent, making them "very important for the church." "I know there are exceptions, but still, we live in a global time, and it's nearly impossible to stop migration. And we need it also, I mean, in healthcare, care for elderly people, taxi drivers," he said, adding that, "of course, there has to be some kind of order, some kind of harmonious migration and integration" to ensure immigrant populations can thrive. Swedish cardinal Anders Arborelius arrives for a congregation meeting at the Vatican before the papal conclave, May 3, 2025. FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty The Swedish cardinal also hopes Francis' successor will push to integrate women — to a limited degree — more into the church's operations. "Some people are very eager to have female priests," acknowledged Arborelius. "But we cannot have that. So, it's important to show and to help women to find the positions and the work that they can do in the church." Asked why he, like Francis, backed more roles for women, but not priesthood, the cardinal said that, "according to our faith, Christ as a man is the icon of what it is to be a priest. Mary is the icon of what a woman can be in the church." "Of course, nowadays it's not easy to explain that," he said, noting the example of the Lutheran Church in Sweden, which he said now has "more female ministers than male." "So that's one of our tasks — to show that women have a very important place in the church, but we have to show what they can do and how they can do it. And I think Pope Francis has started this. For instance, now they always say in the Vatican state they have a prime minister who is a sister, Sister Rafaela. And on many issues, for instance I'm also a member of the Council of Economy, we have six ... experts in economy, all women, who help us to clear up the mess of the economy in the Vatican. So, I think there are many important tasks where a woman could do very much in order to help the church in the society of today." Others among the senior prelates gathering at the Vatican, however, have been openly critical of Francis, including German Cardinal Gerhard Muller, who has been a staunch defender of traditional Catholic doctrine. "Gay marriage is not possible, it's absolutely against the word of God," he told CBS News, adding that in his view, that impossibility extends to the practice of priests blessing same-sex unions — which Francis green-lighted in a landmark decision almost two years ago. German cardinal Gerhard Muller (left) attends the "Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Prize 2024" at the Sala Regia of the Apostolic Palace, in a Nov. 22, 2024 file photo taken at the Vatican. Franco Origlia/Getty "We cannot have a blessing in the sense of justifying of a behavior or of a lifestyle which is against the reason God Himself gave," Muller told CBS News, adding that he believes the next pope must bring more clarity to interpreting Catholic doctrine, "I think not only for me, but for all the Catholics in the world." It's possible that that diversity in viewpoints among the cardinal electors inside the Sistine Chapel could lead to a drawn-out conclave. In recent times, cardinals have decided on a new pope in just two to three days. The longest-ever conclave took place during the 13th century, in the nearby city of Viterbo. It lasted for nearly three years, and locals became so frustrated with the dithering that they removed the roof from the building where the cardinals were staying. They eventually elected Pope Gregory X. contributed to this report.
