the pope is the leader of the global catholic church... …and also the bishop of rome

The Pope is the leader of the global Catholic Church...

…and also the Bishop of Rome

The Pope has a special

connection to Saint Peter...

This is where the Pope lives...

St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City

The entire country = 0.2 square miles

Population = less than 1,000 people

This is his house...

Called the Apostolic Palace

Vatican City is it’s own separate country

within Italy

The Pope is the leader of

his own country.

CURRENT: Pope Benedict XVI (the 16th)

2005 - ????

FORMER: Pope John Paul II

1978 to 2005

Pope

Pope Benedict XVI “going casual” in Germany in 2005

When a Pope dies, a few things happen:

•The Camerlengo gently strikes the Pope’s head three times with a silver hammer.

•Then the Camerlengo calls out his Christian (not Papal) name three times.

•Once the Pope is declared dead, the Camerlengo takes his ring and papal seal and destroys them.

•The Pope is buried within four to six days of his death.

•There is a nine day period of mourning.

•The voting for a new Pope begins fifteen days after his death.

New Popes are elected by the College of Cardinals

Current Dean of the College of Cardinals: Angelo Cardinal

Sodano

In order to vote for the new Pope...

You must be a Cardinal and under 80 years old

THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS

MAX = 120MOST RECENT = 117

Fifteen days after the Pope dies…

The Dean of the College of Cardinals summons all of the Cardinals in the world to Vatican City

Including...

…and 10 other Cardinals from the United States

His Eminence Cardinal Roger Mahoney, Los Angeles, CA

The Cardinals meet in a “Conclave”

...inside of the Sistine Chapel

Conclave = “with a key”

Very few people other than the cardinals are

allowed inside the chapel (doctors,

service staff, etc.)

Eavesdropping on the conclave = EXCOMMUNICATION

Swept for bugs, cameras and microphones AND PRESS REPORTERS (disguising themselves!!!)

The Cardinals can vote for any other Cardinal...

...or any Catholic Bishop...

...or any Catholic priest or deacon...

...or any Catholic LAYMAN!

The only “requirement” to be Pope is that you have to be an unmarried, Catholic male who has reached the

age of reason (7 years old)

The last non-Cardinal to be elected Pope was Pope Urban VI in 1378 (he

was an archbishop)

The Cardinals gather in prayer and cast anonymous ballots

The votes are burned immediately after they’re counted.

Black Smoke = STILL VOTING

White Smoke = WE HAVE A NEW POPE!

(Bells also ring)

When the Cardinal receives 2/3 + one votes...

“Do you accept the nomination?”

“By what name are you to be addressed?”

Pope John II was the first to change his name (from Mercury)

Once they agree...HABEMUS PAPEM!

HABEMUS PAPEM = “We have a Pope” in Latin

Longest reigning Pope was Pius IX—31 years

Youngest ever Pope was John XII—18 years

Shortest reigning Pope was Urban VII—13 days

benedictxvi@vatican.va

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVIApostolic Palace

00120 Vatican City State, EUROPE

The 265th POPE!