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Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Conclave to pick new pope begins on May 7. But who are the antipopes?
The Papal Conclave 2025 will start on Wednesday, May 7, with a A total of 133 cardinals from different countries meeting inside the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City to choose the next pope, successor of Pope Francis who died on April 21. Antipope caused a lot of confusion because of which Church was split for almost 40 years(REUTERS) As the Catholic Church prepares to elect its 267th pope, global attention is fixed on the Vatican. From speculation over frontrunners and betting odds to curiosity about the secretive voting process, the world is watching closely. Amid the anticipation, one question is also resurfacing: Who exactly are the antipopes? Who are antipopes? An antipope is a person who makes a competing claim to the papacy, in opposition to the legitimately elected pope. This typically occurs during times of political or doctrinal conflict within the Church, and the antipope is not recognised as the true pope by the wider Catholic Church. Also Read: What was Pope Francis' final wish? Here's how late pontiff's popemobile will help children in Gaza Between 1378 and 1417, the Catholic Church witnessed a period of Western Schism also known as the Papal Schism or Great Western Schism. This was time period where multiple individuals simultaneously claimed to be the legitimate pope. The Schism also saw the emergence of rival claimants (antipope), which created serious political and spiritual splits in the Church. Antipope caused a lot of confusion because of which Church was split for almost 40 years. However, The schism was ultimately resolved by the Council of Constance in 1417, which led to the election of Martin V, a universally accepted pontiff, as reported by Pique. Well known- antipopes Some well-known antipopes were Clement VII, Benedict XIII, Alexander V, and John XXIII. Also Read: No phone signals, jammers, lockdown: Vatican's world to seal for Conclave to elect pope As the new conclave begins, the idea of antipopes reminds us that choosing a pope has not always been simple. Sometimes, it led to long and serious arguments in the Church.
Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Chimney goes up as countdown begins: 10 things to know about papal conclaves
Preparations are underway at the Vatican as the Catholic Church braces for the start of a new papal conclave on May 7. The chimney that will signal the election of Pope Francis' successor was installed atop the Sistine Chapel Friday, marking a key moment in the sacred event. After every two voting rounds, ballots are burned in a special furnace to communicate the outcome. Black smoke, created using potassium perchlorate, anthracene, and sulfur, signals no decision. White smoke—produced with potassium chlorate, lactose, and chloroform resin—announces a successful election. It was this white smoke that billowed over St. Peter's Square on the fifth ballot in March 13, 2013, moments before Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio emerged as Pope Francis. While the conclave stirs global anticipation, here are 10 lesser-known facts about its history and process: 1. The Sistine Chapel hasn't always hosted the conclave The first conclave under Michelangelo's iconic ceiling took place in 1492. Since 1878, the Sistine Chapel has become the fixed venue, with cardinal-electors now staying in the nearby Domus Santa Marta. 2. The longest conclave in history lasted nearly three years The election of Pope Gregory X took an extraordinary 1,006 days, from November 1268 to September 1271. Frustrated by the delay, Viterbo residents locked the cardinals in and eventually tore the roof off the building to speed up the process. 3. The shortest conclave took just hours While modern rules enforce a waiting period, some past conclaves moved swiftly. The 1503 conclave that elected Pope Julius II took only a few hours—likely the shortest ever under current waiting rules. 4. Conclaves weren't always held in Rome While most papal elections took place in Rome, some happened elsewhere. Viterbo, Perugia, Arezzo, Venice, Konstanz (Germany), and Lyon (France) have all hosted conclaves. 5. Popes have ranged from teenagers to octogenarians Pope John XII was just 18 when elected in 955, while Popes Celestine III and Celestine V were nearly 85 at the time of their elections. Benedict XVI was 78 when chosen in 2005. 6. Not all popes were cardinals or Italians Urban VI, elected in 1378, was the last pope who wasn't a cardinal. Over the centuries, non-Italians like Alexander VI (Spain), Gregory III (Syria), Adrian VI (Netherlands), John Paul II (Poland), Benedict XVI (Germany), and Francis (Argentina) have all broken the Italian dominance. 7. One meal a day To prevent future delays, Gregory X decreed in 1274 that cardinals would be limited to one meal a day after three days of voting. After eight days, they'd receive only bread, water, and wine. This rule has since been dropped. 8. The Western Schism led to multiple popes From 1378 to 1417, rival papal claimants—known as antipopes—split the Church. Clement VII, Benedict XIII, Alexander V, and John XXIII were all elected by opposing factions. The schism ended with the 1417 election of Martin V. 9. Strict secrecy governs every conclave The term 'conclave' derives from cum clave—'with a key'—signifying the locked and secluded setting of the election. Gregory X established this rule to prevent political interference after the 13th-century delays. 10. Hygiene used to be a real concern Before the Domus Santa Marta residence opened in 1996, cardinals slept on cots in overcrowded rooms. Conclaves in earlier centuries were described as foul-smelling and disease-prone. Some electors left seriously ill.
Boston Globe
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
From the longest conclave to antipopes: 10 fun facts about the secret voting to elect a pope
In the 13th century, it took almost three years — 1,006 days to be exact — to choose Pope Clement IV's successor, making it the longest conclave in the Catholic Church's history. It's also where the term conclave comes from — 'under lock and key,' because the cardinals who were meeting in Viterbo, north of Rome, took so long the town's frustrated citizens locked them in the room. The secret vote that elected Pope Gregory X lasted from November 1268 to September 1271. It was the first example of a papal election by 'compromise,' after a long struggle between supporters of two main geopolitical medieval factions — those faithful to the papacy and those supporting the Holy Roman Empire. Advertisement 'One meal a day' rule Gregory X was elected only after Viterbo residents tore the roof off the building where the prelates were staying and restricted their meals to bread and water to pressure them to come to a conclusion. Hoping to avoid a repeat, Gregory X decreed in 1274 that cardinals would only get 'one meal a day' if the conclave stretched beyond three days, and only 'bread, water and wine' if it went beyond eight. That restriction has been dropped. Advertisement The shortest conclave ever Before 1274, there were times when a pope was elected the same day as the death of his predecessor. After that, however, the church decided to wait at least 10 days before the first vote. Later that was extended to 15 days to give all cardinals time to get to Rome. The quickest conclave observing the 10-day wait rule appears to have been the 1503 election of Pope Julius II, who was elected in just a few hours, according to Vatican historian Ambrogio Piazzoni. In more recent times, Pope Francis was elected in 2013 on the fifth ballot, Benedict XVI won in 2005 on the fourth and Pope Pius XII won on the third in 1939. The first conclave in the Sistine Chapel The first conclave held under Michelangelo's frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel was in 1492. Since 1878, the world-renowned chapel has become the venue of all conclaves. 'Everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God, in whose sight each person will one day be judged,' St. John Paul II wrote in his 1996 document regulating the conclave, 'Universi Dominici Gregis.' The cardinals sleep a short distance away in the nearby Domus Santa Marta hotel or a nearby residence. The alternative locations Most conclaves were held in Rome, with some taking place outside the Vatican walls. Four were held in the Pauline Chapel of the papal residence at the Quirinale Palace, while some 30 others were held in St. John Lateran Basilica, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva or other places in Rome. On 15 occasions they took place outside Rome and the Vatican altogether, including in Viterbo, Perugia, Arezzo and Venice in Italy, and Konstanz, Germany, and Lyon, France. Advertisement The alternative popes, or antipopes Between 1378-1417, referred to by historians as the Western Schism, there were rival claimants to the title of pope. The schism produced multiple papal contenders, the so-called antipopes, splitting the Catholic Church for nearly 40 years. The most prominent antipopes during the Western Schism were Clement VII, Benedict XIII, Alexander V, and John XXIII. The schism was ultimately resolved by the Council of Constance in 1417, which led to the election of Martin V, a universally accepted pontiff. A challenge to personal hygiene The cloistered nature of the conclave posed another challenge for cardinals: staying healthy. Before the Domus Santa Marta guest house was built in 1996, cardinal electors slept on cots in rooms connected to the Sistine Chapel. Conclaves in the 16th and 17th centuries were described as 'disgusting' and 'badly smelling,' with concern about disease outbreaks, particularly in summer, according to historian Miles Pattenden. 'The cardinals simply had to have a more regular and comfortable way of living because they were old men, many of them with quite advanced disease,' Pattenden wrote. The enclosed space and lack of ventilation further aggravated these issues. Some of the electors left the conclave sick, often seriously. Vow of secrecy Initially, papal elections weren't as secretive, but concerns about political interference soared during the longest conclave in Viterbo. Gregory X decreed that cardinal electors should be locked in seclusion, 'cum clave' (with a key), until a new pope was chosen. The purpose was to create a totally secluded environment where the cardinals could focus on their task, guided by God's will, without any political interference or distractions. Over the centuries, various popes have modified and reinforced the rules surrounding the conclave, emphasizing the importance of secrecy. Advertisement Youngest pope, oldest pope Pope John XII was just 18 when he was elected in 955. The oldest popes were Pope Celestine III (elected in 1191) and Celestine V (elected in 1294) who were both nearly 85. Benedict XVI was 78 when he was elected in 2005. A non-cardinal pope and non-Italian pope There is no requirement that a pope be a cardinal, but that has been the case for centuries. The last time a pope was elected who wasn't a cardinal was Urban VI in 1378. He was a monk and archbishop of Bari. While the Italians have had a stranglehold on the papacy over centuries, there have been many exceptions aside from John Paul II (Polish in 1978) and Benedict XVI (German in 2005) and Francis (Argentine in 2013). Alexander VI, elected in 1492, was Spanish; Gregory III, elected in 731, was Syrian; Adrian VI, elected in 1522, was from the Netherlands.
CBC
25-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
With the pope hospitalized, Italians gossip about who might come next
Social Sharing The pope looms so large in everyday Italian life that there are lots of expressions that make light of even a dark event like his death. "A pope dies, they make another," goes one, suggesting how life goes on. But the one most frequently hear, when a pope is sick is perhaps the darkest: "The pope is fine until he's dead." That one's been making the rounds as Pope Francis remains in Rome's Gemelli hospital, battling pneumonia and a complex respiratory infection. WATCH | All-male conclave a 'farce,' theologian says: Conclave a 'farce' when women have no say 12 years ago Duration 5:39 Mary Hunt, co-founder of the Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual, says the conclave process for electing a new pope isn't transparent or democratic While the Vatican has been providing twice-daily updates on his condition and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said they "joked around as usual" during last week's visit, all kinds of reports — true and not — abound about Francis's health. They've taken on a life of their own in an age of chat groups, conspiracy theories and internet memes — not to mention the perennial Roman fixation on the pope and who might succeed him. The Conclave effect It doesn't help that the Oscar-nominated movie Conclave is in theatres and has made everyone an expert in the arcane rules and spectacular drama involved in a papal election. Or that Francis recently extended the term of the dean of the College of Cardinals rather than find someone new to fill a key job during the next papal transition. Or that, at 88, he is one of the oldest popes ever. Francis still has a ways to go to outlive Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903 at 93. But he's on track to equal or surpass Pope Gregory XII, perhaps best known for being the most recent pope to resign until Pope Benedict XVI did so in 2013. Gregory was 88 when he stepped down in 1415 to end the Western Schism, according to the online resource Catholic Hierarchy. Francis has frequently said he, too, would consider resigning if his health made him unable to continue, though more recently he said a pope's job is for life. Vatican correspondents are usually preparing for upcoming papal trips at this time of year, but none are confirmed so far. Instead, between medical updates, they are preparing stories looking back at his life, just in case. "I think the dictum of 'A pope is fine until he's dead' is always true," said Giovanni Maria Vian, former editor of the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, who knows about how Vatican information is managed. "It's a very Roman way of speaking that represents, on the one hand, the traditional skepticism of Romans and Italians, but on the other hand, an informational opacity." The Vatican hasn't allowed any member of Francis's medical team to appear on camera or give detailed updates on his health, and no photos of him have been released since his Feb. 14 hospitalization. Video fuels rumours But to understand how entwined the pope is in Italian life, one only needs to consider another tradition religiously observed by Italians: the annual Sanremo song festival, a weeklong series on RAI television in which viewers vote for their favourite rising vocalists who perform nightly in the kitschy, sometimes bawdy contest. When it aired last week, it made even more headlines than usual because Francis — already sick with bronchitis but not yet in the hospital — appeared on opening night in a pre-taped video, a publicity coup for Sanremo and a first for the papacy. When popular Italian blog Dagospia subsequently claimed the video had been made nearly a year earlier for another event, near-hysteria broke out among Vatican watchers. The apparent deception suggested that Francis's latest illness was much worse than it seemed, and raised questions about the solidity of the papacy if an old video had been released without his knowledge. As it turns out, Dagospia was wrong. The video was legit, recent and recorded for Sanremo. But it was true that Francis's bronchitis was indeed much worse. By week's end, he was hospitalized with a lung infection that turned into pneumonia. The episode though underscored the truism that the papacy is a matter of general public knowledge, interest and debate here, and that speculating about the pope's current health and who might be next is a national pastime. "I'm certainly very, very worried," said Maurizio Di Folco, who was being treated Tuesday at the same hospital. "I wish him a speedy recovery and we're praying for him deeply. A very good pope. A great pope! We hope he'll be with us for a long time to come." WATCH | A new pope chosen in 1958: Pope John XXIII chosen in 1958 66 years ago Duration 1:49 White smoke rises at the Vatican as Cardinal Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli is elected pope. Conservative critics weigh in But elsewhere, Francis's right-wing critics are circulating alarmist — and wholly uncorroborated — stories about his condition. Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a Francis nemesis who was excommunicated last year, revived his conspiracy theory about the legitimacy of Francis's 2013 election, calling for the CIA to investigate what he claims was a "Deep State" plot to elect him. Francis knows this dynamic well. "Some wanted me dead," he told Slovakian Jesuit priests in 2021, referring to what he learned while he was hospitalized that year for intestinal surgery. "I know there were even meetings among priests who thought the pope was in worse shape than what was being said. They were preparing the conclave." It's considered poor taste to discuss publicly who's up or down in the papal stakes of a future conclave, much less to start plotting one. But privately, Rome is abuzz with such conversations. Taxi drivers chat about it with passengers, doctors with patients, butchers with customers. Candidates must be male and a baptized Catholic. And, though it is not an explicit requirement, nearly every pontiff has been a cardinal before they were elected. The pope is chosen by 120 cardinals who must be under the age of 80 at the time of the previous pope's death or resignation. For now, Francis is holding on. Thursday's bulletin said his overall clinical condition was "improving slightly" and that his heart was working well. He had breakfast sitting up in an armchair and was working with aides.
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The Independent
21-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Streets of Rome fill with gossip after latest Pope news
In Italy, the pope's presence is so deeply woven into daily life that even the prospect of his death is met with lighthearted expressions. One is 'A pope dies, they make another', which highlights life's continuous cycle. Another, 'Every death of a pope...', underscores the rarity of the event. However, this week, a darker expression has been circulating: 'The pope is fine until he's dead.' It comes as Pope Francis, 88, battles pneumonia and a respiratory infection at Rome's Gemelli hospital. Despite twice-daily Vatican updates and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni's reassuring account of a jovial visit with the pontiff, speculation about Francis's health continues to spread. In today's digital age, fueled by chat groups, conspiracy theories, and internet memes, these reports, both accurate and false, take on a life of their own, amplified by Rome's perpetual fascination with the papacy and its succession. The 'Conclave' effect It doesn't help that the Oscar-nominated movie Conclave is in theaters and has made everyone an expert in the arcane rules and spectacular drama involved in a papal election. Or that Francis recently extended the term of the dean of the College of Cardinals rather than find someone new to fill a key job during the next papal transition. Or that at 88, he is one of the oldest popes ever. Francis still has a ways to go to outlive Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903 at 93. But he's on track to equal or surpass Pope Gregory XII, perhaps best known for being the most recent pope to resign until Pope Benedict XVI did so in 2013. Gregory was 88 when he stepped down in 1415 to end the Western Schism, according to online resource Catholic Hierarchy. Francis has frequently said he, too, would consider resigning if his health made him unable to continue, though more recently he said a pope's job is for life. Vatican correspondents are usually preparing for upcoming papal trips at this time of year, but none are confirmed so far. Instead, between medical updates, they are preparing stories looking back at his life, just in case. "I think the dictum of 'A pope is fine until he's dead' is always true," said Giovanni Maria Vian, former editor of the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, who knows about how Vatican information is managed. "It's a very Roman way of speaking that represents, on the one hand, the traditional skepticism of Romans and Italians, but on the other hand, an informational opacity." The Vatican hasn't allowed any member of Francis' medical team to appear on camera or give detailed updates on his health, and no photos of him have been released since his February 14 hospitalisation. A papal video fuels rumors But to understand how entwined the pope is in Italian life, one only needs to consider another tradition religiously observed by Italians: the annual Sanremo song festival, a weeklong series of shows on RAI television in which viewers vote for their favorite rising vocalists who perform nightly in the kitschy, sometimes bawdy contest. When it opened last week, it made even more headlines than usual because Francis – already sick with bronchitis but not yet in the hospital – appeared on the show in a pre-taped video, a publicity coup for Sanremo and a papal first. When popular Italian blog Dagospia subsequently claimed the video had been made nearly a year earlier for another event, near-hysteria broke out among Vatican watchers. The apparent deception suggested that Francis' latest illness was much worse than it seemed, and raised questions about the solidity of the papacy if an old video had been released without the pope's knowledge. As it turns out, Dagospia was wrong. The video was legit, recent and recorded for Sanremo. But it was true that Francis' bronchitis was indeed much worse than it seemed. By week's end, he was hospitalised with a lung infection that turned into pneumonia. The episode though underscored the truism that the papacy is a matter of general public knowledge, interest and debate here, and that speculating about the pope's current health and who might be next is a national pastime. "I'm certainly very, very worried," said Maurizio Di Folco, who was being treated Tuesday at the same hospital. "I wish him a speedy recovery and we're praying for him deeply. A very good pope. A great pope! We hope he'll be with us for a long time to come." Francis' conservative critics weigh in But elsewhere, Francis' right-wing critics are circulating alarmist – and wholly uncorroborated – stories about his condition. Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a Francis nemesis who was excommunicated for schism last year, revived his conspiracy about the legitimacy of Francis' 2013 election, calling for the CIA to investigate what he claims was a "Deep State" plot to elect him. Francis knows this dynamic well. "Some wanted me dead," he told Slovakian Jesuit priests in 2021, referring to what he learned while he was hospitalised that year for intestinal surgery. "I know there were even meetings among priests who thought the pope was in worse shape than what was being said. They were preparing the conclave." It's considered poor taste to discuss publicly who's up or down in the papal stakes of a future conclave, much less to start plotting one. But privately, Rome is abuzz with such conversations. Taxi drivers chat about it with passengers, doctors with patients, butchers with customers. For now, Francis is holding on. Thursday's bulletins said he had breakfast sitting up in an armchair and was working with aides after blood tests showed a "slight improvement" in his inflammation. "There is a greater measure of transparency, but even that is not complete," said Christopher Bellitto, a church history professor at Kean University in New Jersey. "Surely everyone with aging parents and grandparents said, 'that's pneumonia' before the Vatican did.'
