The conclave is coming!

In the Vatican, the procedure for the election of the 266th Pope. The main struggle is expected between the archbishops of San Paulo and Milan-Odiliu Pedru Sherer and Angelo Shy. The first represents supporters of Status quo, the second - circles protruding for the reform of Curia

According to the police, in connection with the conclave, which takes place in the Sistine Chapel, an influx of 150 thousand believers is expected in Rome. The beginning of the conclave was preceded by the Mass “Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifici”, which was served in the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican of the dean of the collegium of the cardinals Angelo Sodano. He thanked God for the "bright papacy" of the "beloved and a lot of respectable Benedict XVI." About 180 cardinals were present at the Mass. But only 115 of them accept the use of the new pontiff, because, according to canonical law, the cardinals who have reached 80-year-olds cannot participate in the Conclave.

After the completion of the mass of 115-pivot cardinals were transported to the residence of St. Marty, adjacent to the Basilica of St. Peter-there they will live throughout the conclave. Rooms in the residence will be redistributed daily by drawing.

Secret and prayer

Conclave was preceded by an oath to observe secrecy and prayer. At 17.30, after pronouncing the formula “Extra Omnes” (lat. “All over there”), the doors of the chapel, painted by Michelangelo, shut up behind the cardinals. On March 12, only one vote will take place, and it is unlikely that the believers gathered on the Square of St. Peter will wait for a white jet of smoke over the Sistine chapel - a sign that dad was chosen.

On Tuesday evening, black smoke came out of a specially installed furnace for burning bulletins - this meant that the first vote did not reveal a new pontiff. Therefore, at 19.15, the cardinals served in the Sistine Chapel Vespers and returned to the residence, where dinner was covered for them (“they are poorly fed on the Conclave,” the Archbishop of New York Timothy Dolan, jokingly, complained recently by the press).

In the following days, until the conclave is completed, the daily routine is subordinate to the same strict schedule. Breakfast from 6.30 to 7.30, then transfer to the Apostol Palace to 7.45. From 8.15 to 9.15 - Mass in the Paulin Chapel, and at 9.30 the beginning of the vote. Starting from Wednesday, March 13, the conclave will take place according to the following scheme: two votes in the morning, and two more in the second.

Favorites and just candidates

According to the new rules introduced by Ratzinger, the candidate must gain two -thirds of the vote to be chosen by the dad. Those. For the successor of Benedict XVI, 77 cardinals of 115 electors should vote. If, after 34 votes, none of the cardinals will gain a sufficient number of votes, the overpass between the two candidates will begin, for whom most of the electors voted. The Italian press predict a duel between two strong candidates. On the one hand, this is the protege of the Roman Kuria Archbishop San Paulo Odiliu Pedru Sherer. The Brazilian cardinal of German origin is included in the Cardinal Supervisory Commission of the IOR - the Bank of the Vatican (it is also called the "Dad Bank"). He is supported by the main supporters of leaving the state of things in the Kuria, mired in scandals, as it is: former enemies who reconciled around the common goal - the Secretary of State of Vatican Tarchizio Berton and Angelo Sodano. Sherer, according to vitaticians, has already managed to enlist the support of 15-18 electors.

The main rival of the Brazilian cardinal is the archbishop of Milan Angelo Shy. For a long time, he was considered a protege of the pope himself, and his Archbishop, by the way, was made by Ratzinger. European reformers, supporters of changes in the Roman curia will vote for it. Thanks to its Oasis Foundation, which promotes relations between Christians and Muslims, a chip has developed extensive international ties. At the same time, he is directly related to religious movements in Italy, in particular, to “ownership and liberation” - a community enjoying the ambiguous glory in Italy. The cardinal scole is 35-40 votes.

The least probable for geopolitical reasons, but still a possible candidate is considered the archbishop of New York Timothy Dolan, who can count on 10-15 votes (11 American cardinals are the most numerous on the Conclave after 28 Italians).

Another American candidate may be Franciscan Sean O'Melli, Archbishop of Boston, who sold the building of the episcopate in order to pay compensation to the victims of sexual harassment by priests. If the vote is stalled in the struggle between two or three strong candidates, the cardinals can come to a compromise and vote for Franco-Channel Mark Welle, the prefect of the congregation of bishops.

There are different opinions about which dad will be able to reform the best of Kuriya. Someone is betting on the fact that the young, energetic, but, above all, the non-European pope will be easier to cope with the reorganization of the State Secretariat. Although the source on the “Vatican Radio” adheres to the conversation with The New Times of the opposite position: “Perhaps it is the Italian dad, pure in spirit, but knowing that he is waiting for him in Kuria, could be better than anyone, to conduct a reform of the Vatican hierarchy. Foreign pontiff, not being aware of some speaker, can become their victim and be subordinate to them like a Ratzinger. ”

The last conclaves did not last long: Benedict XVI was elected in 2 days (4 votes), John Paul II - for three (8 votes). Bookmakers rely on the fact that the conclave will last no more than two days, which means that the maximum of Thursday will become known the name of the new pontiff. He will announce the election of a new dad, saying from the central balcony of the Basilica of St. Peter the formula “Habemus Papam”, the French cardinal-protodyacon Jean-Louis Toran.