Romano Pontifici Eligendo
Encyclopedia
Romano Pontifici Eligendo was the Apostolic Constitution
governing the election of popes that was promulgated
by Pope Paul VI
in 1975. It instituted a number of far-reaching reforms in the process of electing popes.
, forced to live in temporary makeshift rooms, sharing a few common restrooms. At times, some Cardinals were too ill to even go to the Sistine Chapel
. Paul VI's decision was to dispense the most elderly Cardinals from their Cardinantial obligations.
John Paul II kept this regulation in Universi Dominici Gregis
.
s, including the requirement that the windows of the Sistine chapel
be boarded up during a conclave. Many cardinals complained that the restrictions were excessive during the two conclaves of 1978 and they were subsequently abolished by Pope John Paul II
in his 1996 Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis
.
, but he did not eliminate the mention of a coronation
of newly elected popes. His successors, Popes John Paul I
and John Paul II
, who, once elected, were free to alter or dispense from these regulations, chose not to be crowned, and when in 1996 Pope John Paul II issued his Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis
, he removed from the regulations all mention of a coronation.
In his inauguration
homily, Pope John Paul II said:
Apostolic constitution
An apostolic constitution is the highest level of decree issued by the Pope. The use of the term constitution comes from Latin constitutio, which referred to any important law issued by the Roman emperor, and is retained in church documents because of the inheritance that the canon law of the...
governing the election of popes that was promulgated
Promulgation
Promulgation is the act of formally proclaiming or declaring a new statutory or administrative law after its enactment. In some jurisdictions this additional step is necessary before the law can take effect....
by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
in 1975. It instituted a number of far-reaching reforms in the process of electing popes.
Ban on cardinals over eighty voting
Its most dramatic reform was to give formal structure to Paul's already announced decision to prohibit cardinals over the age of eighty from participating and voting in the election of popes. The reasoning behind this is that Conclaves have a tendency to be strenuous and stressful; up until 1996, the Cardinals were locked into the Apostolic PalaceApostolic Palace
The Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope, which is located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Sacred Palace, the Papal Palace and the Palace of the Vatican...
, forced to live in temporary makeshift rooms, sharing a few common restrooms. At times, some Cardinals were too ill to even go to the Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel is the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. It is famous for its architecture and its decoration that was frescoed throughout by Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio...
. Paul VI's decision was to dispense the most elderly Cardinals from their Cardinantial obligations.
John Paul II kept this regulation in Universi Dominici Gregis
Universi Dominici Gregis
Universi Dominici Gregis is an Apostolic Constitution of the Catholic Church issued by Pope John Paul II on February 22, 1996. It superseded Pope Paul VI's 1975 Apostolic Constitution, Romano Pontifici Eligendo....
.
Restrictions on conduct of the conclave
It also imposed extremely strict regulations on the conduct of papal conclavePapal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
s, including the requirement that the windows of the Sistine chapel
Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel is the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. It is famous for its architecture and its decoration that was frescoed throughout by Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio...
be boarded up during a conclave. Many cardinals complained that the restrictions were excessive during the two conclaves of 1978 and they were subsequently abolished by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in his 1996 Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis
Universi Dominici Gregis
Universi Dominici Gregis is an Apostolic Constitution of the Catholic Church issued by Pope John Paul II on February 22, 1996. It superseded Pope Paul VI's 1975 Apostolic Constitution, Romano Pontifici Eligendo....
.
Coronation still envisaged
When Pope Paul VI revised the regulations governing the election of popes, he had abandoned the wearing of a papal tiaraPapal Tiara
The Papal Tiara, also known incorrectly as the Triple Tiara, or in Latin as the Triregnum, in Italian as the Triregno and as the Trirègne in French, is the three-tiered jewelled papal crown, supposedly of Byzantine and Persian origin, that is a prominent symbol of the papacy...
, but he did not eliminate the mention of a coronation
Papal Coronation
A papal coronation was the ceremony of the placing of the Papal Tiara on a newly elected pope. The first recorded papal coronation was that of Pope Celestine II in 1143. Soon after his coronation in 1963, Pope Paul VI abandoned the practice of wearing the tiara. His successors have chosen not to...
of newly elected popes. His successors, Popes John Paul I
Pope John Paul I
John Paul I , born Albino Luciani, , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and as Sovereign of Vatican City from 26 August 1978 until his death 33 days later. His reign is among the shortest in papal history, resulting in the most recent Year of Three Popes...
and John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, who, once elected, were free to alter or dispense from these regulations, chose not to be crowned, and when in 1996 Pope John Paul II issued his Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis
Universi Dominici Gregis
Universi Dominici Gregis is an Apostolic Constitution of the Catholic Church issued by Pope John Paul II on February 22, 1996. It superseded Pope Paul VI's 1975 Apostolic Constitution, Romano Pontifici Eligendo....
, he removed from the regulations all mention of a coronation.
In his inauguration
Papal Inauguration
The Papal Inauguration is a liturgical service of the Catholic Church within Mass celebrated in the Roman Rite but with elements of Byzantine Rite for the ecclesiastical investiture of the Pope...
homily, Pope John Paul II said:
See also
- Cardinals over 80 in 1978 Papal conclaves
- Cardinals over 80 in Papal conclave, 2005Cardinals over 80 in Papal conclave, 2005This is a list of Roman Catholic Cardinals over the age of 80 as of the death of Pope John Paul II on April 2, 2005. As such, they were ineligible to vote in the Papal conclave beginning April 18 to elect John Paul's successor...