THE SOLEMN AND SUBLIME SPIRIT OF THE CONCLAVE

The solemn and sublime spirit of the conclave

The solemn and sublime spirit of the conclave

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Conclave is a secret meeting of cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church to elect a new pope. The word comes from the Latin "cum clave", meaning "a room locked with a key." This is to ensure that the cardinals are free to choose a new pope, completely free from outside influence.


The conclave will proceed as follows:





    1. Convocation: When the Pope dies or resigns, the Vatican sends a convocation notice to all cardinals around the world.





    1. Entry: Cardinals with voting rights gather in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and are completely isolated from the outside world. They are not allowed any contact with the outside world and must stay in their assigned quarters during the conclave.





    1. Voting: Cardinals write down the person they think would be a good fit for the new pope and vote. Voting can take place multiple times a day, and a two-thirds majority is needed to elect a pope.





    1. Announcement of the results: The results of the election are announced to the public by the color of the smoke coming from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke means that the election of a pope has failed, while white smoke means that a new pope has been elected. Once the new pope has been elected, he will state whether he accepts it or not and choose a new name. The new pope will then be announced from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and will give his first blessing.



Conclave is an important tradition of the Catholic Church, and the process of electing a new pope is a momentous event that attracts attention from around the world.









The exact procedure for the conclave is as follows:


1. Preparation period after the death or resignation of the Pope:





    • When the Pope dies, the Chancellor of the Holy See officially confirms and announces it.





    • A call to action is sent out to cardinals around the world.





    • There is a period of mourning, including the Pope's funeral mass. The conclave usually begins 15 to 20 days after the Pope's death.





    • Cardinal electors (under 80 years old) eligible to participate in the conclave gather at the Vatican.



2. Start of Conclave:





    • On the first day of the conclave, the elective cardinals celebrate Mass in St. Peter's Basilica to elect a new pope.





    • After Mass, the cardinals move to the Sistine Chapel, which is completely sealed off from te outside world. They are not allowed any contact with the outside world during the conclave.





    • Entry into the Sistine Chapel is strictly controlled to all but those involved in voting.



3. Voting:





    • Voting will take place twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, except on the first day of the conclave.





    • Each cardinal secretly writes on a ballot the name of the person he thinks would be suitable to be the new pope.





    • It is forbidden to write your own name.





    • After each vote, the ballot papers are folded and placed in a chalice-shaped jar placed on the altar.





    • Three counting committee members take out the ballots, check their contents, and record the results.





    • If the number of ballots does not match the number of voters, all ballots will be burned and a recount will be held immediately.



4. Election of the Pope:





    • To be elected as a new pope, a candidate must receive more than two-thirds of the total votes cast.





    • If no candidate receives two-thirds of the votes in any of the votes, a further vote is held.





    • If a pope is not elected after up to 30 rounds of voting, the cardinals may hold a brief period of prayer and discussion before voting again.





    • If there is a failure to elect a Pope within a certain period of time, special measures may be taken, such as changing the voting method to a simple majority.



5. Announcement of Results:





    • After each vote, the ballots are burned in a special furnace.





    • If the election of a pope fails, black smoke is released from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, while if a new pope is elected, white smoke is released. In the past, wet straw or black pigment was burned to produce black smoke. White smoke is produced by burning dry straw.





    • When white smoke comes out, it means that a new Pope has been elected, and this is welcomed from the outside.



6. Acceptance and announcement of the new Pope:





    • The elected cardinal accepts the papacy by answering "yes" to the question posed by the cardinal dean.





    • The new pope chooses a new papal name.





    • The senior cardinal comes to the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and formally announces the new pope and his name, shouting, "Habemus Papam" (We have a Pope).





    • The new pope appears on the balcony and gives his first blessing (Urbi et Orbi, to the Rome and to the world).



Through these strict and secret procedures, the Catholic Church selects a new pope with utmost care and without outside interference.












Conclave is more than just a process to elect a new pope; it has an important meaning that embodies the spirit and core values ​​of the Catholic Church.


Meaning of Conclave:





    • Continuity and Unity of the Church: Even in times of crisis, such as the death or resignation of a Pope, the conclave plays a vital role in maintaining the continuity of the Church and the unity of the faithful by promptly and legitimately electing the head of the Church.





    • Faith in the guidance of the Holy Spirit: The cardinals who participate in the conclave believe that they are choosing a new pope solely under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, without any external pressure or interference. Secret ballots and isolation from the outside world are devices to protect this spiritual discernment process.





    • Autonomy and Independence of the Church: The 스포츠토토사이트 is the result of a long-standing effort to secure the right to elect the head of the Church from secular powers or external forces and to secure the autonomy and independence of the Church. The literal meaning of the “locked room” symbolizes this separation from external influences.





    • Careful and deliberate decisions: Complex and rigorous procedures, and the high two-thirds majority threshold, require cardinals to be careful and deliberate in choosing the leaders who will lead the Church into the future.



The Spirit of Conclave:





    • Prayer and Discernment: During the conclave, the cardinals pray together and focus on discerning the direction of the Church and the qualities needed in a new pope. This shows that it is a process of spiritual reflection, not just a political vote.





    • Commitment and Responsibility: Cardinals charged with the weighty responsibility of electing a new Pope must demonstrate a commitment to the overall good of the Church, beyond personal preferences or factions.





    • Secrecy and freedom: The secrecy of the vote ensures that cardinals can vote freely according to their conscience, without any external pressure or fear.





    • Patience and Hope: The ongoing voting process to elect a new Pope requires patience, and the moment when the white smoke signals the birth of a new Pope brings great hope to the entire Church.



In short, the conclave is a unique and sacred procedure that has developed within the history and tradition of the Catholic Church, and it contains a deep meaning and spirit to preserve the continuity, unity, and autonomy of the Church and to elect a new Pope through careful deliberation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.





The achievements of the Popes vary greatly depending on the era and individual, and have had a great influence religiously, politically, and socio-culturally. Let’s take a brief look at the achievements of some important Popes.


The first pope, St. Peter:





    • As a disciple of Jesus Christ, he laid the foundation of the early church.





    • He was martyred in Rome and became a symbol of the papacy.



Leo I (Great Pope, 440-461):





    • He established the authority of the papacy and refuted heretical ideas.





    • Helped protect Rome from invasions by the Huns.



Gregory I (Great Pope, 590-604):





    • The church administrative organization was reorganized and the liturgy was unified.





    • He contributed greatly to the spread of Christianity throughout Europe by sending out missionaries.





    • influenced the development of Gregorian chant.



John XXIII (1958-1963):





    • He convened the Second Vatican Council and made great contributions to the modernization and openness of the Catholic Church.





    • Promoted dialogue with other Christian denominations and other religions.



Paul VI (1963-1978):





    • He implemented the decisions of the Second Vatican Council and led the Church in keeping with the changes in modern society.





    • The encyclical Humanae Vitae reaffirmed the Catholic Church's position on bioethics.





    • He made efforts for world peace.



John Paul II (1978-2005):





    • He played a key role in the fall of communism and supported the democratic movements in Eastern Europe.





    • He traveled around the world preaching the gospel and meeting people from many cultures.





    • It promoted dialogue with other religions and apologized for past mistakes made by the church.





    • It had a great influence on young people and emphasized the importance of faith.



Benedict XVI (2005-2013):





    • He systematically explained the Catholic faith through his theologically profound writings.





    • We have tried to deal honestly with the problems within the church and bring about reform.





    • Special provisions were made for the conversion of Anglicans to Catholicism.



Francis (2013-present):





    • We strive to serve the poor and marginalized and to achieve social justice.





    • We are promoting church reform and transparency.





    • He called attention to environmental issues and issued the encyclical Laudato Si'.





    • Demonstrating non-authoritarian and communicative leadership, he continues to engage in dialogue with modern society.



In addition, many popes throughout history have led the church, responded to the changing times, and left behind various achievements. The achievements of each pope were different depending on the circumstances of the time and the challenges the church faced, but they have in common that they tried to preserve and develop the church based on the spirit of the gospel.















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