There are currently 135 Cardinals under 80 years with the right to vote in the conclavefrom 71 countries different. It is the meeting of glitter with greater geographical diversity in history.
CONCLAVE: The 133 cardinals who will choose the new Pope are already in the Vatican
Two of the cardinals have already formally communicated to the Holy See that they will not be able to attend for health reasons, which reduces to 133 the number of men who will enter the Sistine Chapel.
To be chosen Pope is needed a two -thirds majority, which means that if the number of voters remains in 133, the winner must obtain 89 votes.
Europe It remains the continent with greater representation, with 53 Cardinals enabled to vote. However, one of the European voters, a native of Spain, has already announced that it will not participate in the conclave, so it is expected that there are finally 52 Europeans present in the Sistine Chapel.
From Asia, including Middle Eastthey will arrive 23 Cardinalsa figure that reflects the growing importance of this region in global ecclesial life. Africafor its part, it will have 18 representativesalthough one of them, from Kenya, also anticipated that he will not attend, reducing the number of African voters to 17.
South America will say present with 17 Cardinalsamong them several with outstanding trajectories in their communities. North America will contribute 16 voters: 10 from the United States, 4 of Canada and 2 from Mexicoshowing a strong presence of the northern hemisphere in this key election.
Central America will have a more limited participation, with 4 cardinals in totalwhile from the confines of the planet, Oceania will be represented by others 4: one from Australia, one from New Zealand, one from Papua New Guinea and one from Tonga.
All personnel, ecclesiastical or secular, from the ceremonies to the elevatorists, who will be linked in the organization of the conclave to choose the new Pope, will provide on Monday oath to keep absolute secret of everything that happens.
All of them, approved by Cardinal Camarlengo and the three cardinals attendees, according to the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, They must provide and sign the oath at 5:00 p.m. (15.00 GMT) in the Paulina Chapel.
The measure It will affect the Secretary of the Cardinal College, the master of the Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations and the Pontifical Ceremoniesbut also Doctors and nurses, elevatorists of the Apostolic Palace, personnel in charge of dining and cleaning services or even florist staff and technical services, as well as the colonel and a major of the Pontifical Swiss Guard destined for surveillance in the vicinity of the Sistine Chapel.
After being instructed on the meaning of the oath, they must pronounce and personally sign the formula prescribed before Camarlengo, Kevin Joseph Farrell.
Once the conclave started, the door of the Sistine Chapel is sealed and all contact with the outside world is cut.
When confidentiality swears it means that They can never reveal, what they see or listen. The formula of the oath, which will be a private act, far from cameras and journalists, is solemn and entails, in case of non -compliance, excommunication.
“I promise and swear to observe absolute secret with anyone who is not part of the College of Cardinals voters, and this perpetuity unless he receives special permission expressly given by the new chosen pontiff or by his successors, especially what directly or indirectly refers to the vote and scrutiny for the choice of the high pontiff,” says the oath.
And he continues: “I also promise and I swear to use any means of recording, audition or visualization of anything that takes place in the Vatican city during the electoral period and, in particular, of anything that is directly or indirectly related to the operations connected to the choice itself.”
Source: Ambito
