Papal Voting Patterns

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The newly elected pope often contrasts dramatically with his predecessor, a tendency expressed by the Italian axiom "After a fat pope a lean pope". Past cardinals have often voted for someone radically different to the pope who appointed them. The controversial one-time populist turned conservative, long-lived Pope Pius IX (1846–1878) was succeeded by the aristocratic diplomatic Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903). He in turn was succeeded by the lower-class, bluntly outspoken Pope Pius X (1903–1914). Pius's rugged ultraconservatism contrasted with the low-key moderatism of Giacomo Cardinal della Chiesa, Pope Benedict XV (1914–1922), which again contrasted with the former librarian mountain-climber Achille Cardinal Ratti, Pope Pius XI (1922–1939), who led Roman Catholicism with an authoritarianism more akin to Pope Pius X, who also shared his temper. Pius XI was replaced in 1939 by the aristocratic ultra-insider Curialist, Pius XI's Secretary of State Eugenio Cardinal Pacelli, Pope Pius XII (1939–1958). Pius XII was seen as one of the great thinkers in the papacy in the 20th century. He was also the ultimate insider; his family were descended from the papal aristocracy, with his brother working as a lawyer for the Holy See. Pius was then replaced by the lower-class, elderly, popular, informal Pope John XXIII (1958–1963). The contrast between diffident, intellectual and distant Pius XII and the humble, in his own words "ordinary" Good Pope John was dramatic, with none more surprised at the election than Pope John himself, who had his own return rail ticket in his pocket when he was elected.

John proved to be a radical break with the two previous popes, and indeed with most of the popes of the 20th century. After a short but dramatic pontificate during which he convoked the Second Vatican Council which resulted in wide ranging changes in the church, the surprise John was replaced by the widely expected choice Giovanni Cardinal Montini, whom many believed would have been elected in 1958, had he been a cardinal then. Montini, Pope Paul VI (1963–1978) like Pius XII, was a curialist. (He had worked with Pacelli in the 1930s and 1940s in the curia.) Yet Pope Paul was succeeded (albeit for a short time) by the non-Curialist Pope John Paul I (1978), whom it was said was chosen not as an experienced insider nor administrator, but as a "simple, holy man". He in turn was succeeded by the non-Italian Pope John Paul II (1978–2005), who was an intellectual heavyweight unprecedented since Pope Pius XII.


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Notes

1. Sedevacantists hold that the office of Pope was vacated either by the election of Pope John XXIII (whom they deem a heretic), or by the enactment of major reforms by the Second Vatican Council (support for which they deem heretical). Some factions of sedevacantism have held their own papal elections (such as the supporters of Lucian Pulvermacher), whilst others consider the papacy vacant.



Cardinals used intricate ballot papers, one of which is shown folded above.



2. Each ballot paper was divided into three parts; in the first was written the cardinal's name, in the second the name of the individual voted for, and in the third a motto and number of the cardinal's choice (which were to be used to verify that each cardinal wrote only his own name on the ballot). The first and third divisions were folded down and sealed, with the middle exposed; the back was heavily decorated so that the writing would not be visible (see illustration on right). Thus, when the Scrutineers (the vote counters) removed a ballot paper from the ballot box, they could see only the name of the candidate voted for. If the winning candidate received exactly two-thirds of the votes, the ballot papers were unsealed to ensure that the winning cardinal did not vote for himself. Modern ballots differ from the complicated older ballots in that the cardinals do not write anything other than the name of the individual voted for on them; furthermore, they are only folded once and need not be specially sealed.

3. Formerly, cardinals regularly had meals sent in from their homes. Much pageantry accompanied the conveyance of food, which was taken from a cardinal's home to the Vatican in a state coach. An officer known as the Seneschal Dapifer was responsible for ensuring that the food was not poisoned. The dishes, in small boxes covered with green and violet drapery, were carried through the hall, preceded by an individual carrying the cardinal's ceremonial mace and by the Seneschal Dapifer bearing a serviette on the shoulder. Before the cardinals could receive them, the dishes were carefully inspected to make sure that no correspondence was enclosed in it. These ceremonies have not been observed since the nineteenth century.

4. A WAV file of Albino Cardinal Luciani's announcement as Pope John Paul I is available here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_election

[ltfranklin]

1. A new slogan...

Paper Votes, Hand Counts...If it's good enough for the Vatican, it's good enough for us!

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2. That is the way we should go here too.

Paper ballots is the way!