The process in which the newly elected Pope has undergone many changes in nearly two thousand years that the Catholic Church has existed, with the current procedure of ancient traditions and new modern renewal like 2013, which reflects the changes institutionalized by Pope Benedict XVI. Even so, important rituals mostly still have not changed for centuries.
The death of Pope Francis began to move a series of formalized rituals and obedience that occurred during what was called Interregnum, which began on the Pope’s passing and ended with the selection of his successor. The time period at which an empty papadard is known as Sede Vacante, Latin for “empty chairs.”
Pope’s death was first verified ritually by Cardinal Camerlengo, or Chamberlain, who carried out ordinary affairs from Vatican City during Sede Vacante. Nine traditional days of mourning then begin. This includes the funeral of the Pope, which per tradition is held within four to six days after his death, after his body is located in the state for several days in the Basilica of St. Peter. This also allows global officials and heads of state to pay respect and attend a funeral.
Also during the interregnum that all cardinals under the age of 80 who were eligible to participate were summoned to Rome to prepare a secret conclave in the sistine chapel to choose the next whale, a meeting that usually starts between 15 to 20 days after the Pope’s death. The Cardinals spent the interregnum located in a private room in Domus Marthae Sanctae – Basically a hotel in the Vatican with eating facilities that usually accommodate the clerics and laymen. Per tradition, the cardinals were cut off from the outside world, including television, telephone, computers and newspapers.
White smoke emerged from the chimney on the roof of Sistine’s chapel which showed that College of Cardinals had chosen a new whale on March 13, 2013 in the Vatican city, the Vatican.
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College of Cardinals will give as many as four ballots in one day for the next Pope, with the majority of two -thirds needed to choose the Pope. After each vote, the ballot is burned and the smoke is released from the sistine chapel chimney as a signal for the crowd holding the vigil in the field of St. Peter. Black Smoke – Fumata Nera in Italian – showing an inconclusive voice, while white smoke – Fumata Bianca – will indicate that the new whale has been chosen. If three days passed without the chosen whale, the voting could be suspended for a day to give the cardinal time for reflection before the next ballot round was thrown.
After College of Cardinals chose a new Pope, the candidate was officially asked in the Sistine chapel whether he received the election and, if so, to choose the name of his pose. While the Pope has the choice to maintain the name of their baptism, each pope over the past 470 years has chosen to change its name, usually to respect the predecessor and signify their intention to imitate their example.
Intericnum ended when the newly selected Pope made his first public appearance in his new role, stepping into the middle balcony in Basilika St. Peter, facing Santo Petrus’s field, to bless the crowd gather there after being introduced by a senior cardinal deacon with the traditional declaration of “Habemus Papum” – Latin for “We have points.”