Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 15, PLA-RAM

POP [37
pore< many centuries It has been appropriated to the bifliop
0f Rome, whom the Roman Catholics look upon as the
common father of all Chriftians.
Much has been faid, much written, and many warm
difputes have been carried on concerning the pope, and
the power belonging to him, within thefe two or three
laft centuries. We firall here, without entering into
controverfy, lay down diilinftly, from the bell authori¬
ty, what the Roman Catholics really believe concerning
the pope, after having defcribed the manner of his elec¬
tion ; and we fhall give fome other particulars relating
to this fubjeil that ieem to deferve notice, and are in
this country not generally known.
All in communion with the fee of Rome unanimouny
hold, that our Saviour Jefus Chrift conftituted St Peter
the apoftle chief pallor under himfelf, to watch over his
whole flock here on earth, and to preferve the unity of
it; giving him the power requifite for thefe ends. They
alfo believe, that our Saviour ordained, that St Peter
fhould have fucceflbrs with the like charge and power,
to the end of time. Now, as St Peter redded at Rome
for many years, and fuffered martyrdom there, they con-
fider the bilhops of Rome as his fucceflbrs in the dig¬
nity and office of the univerfal pallor of the whole Ca¬
tholic church. There have been fome varieties in the
manner of choofmg the bilhop of Rome in different
ages, as alterations may'be made in difcipline ; but Hill
the clergy of Rome have jullly had the chief part in
that eleblion : and that clergy is now reprefented by,
or in fome manner confills of, the cardinals, who have
for feveral centuries been the foie eledlors of the pope.
Thefe cardinals or principal perfons of the church of
Rome are 70 in number, when the facred college, as it is
ealled, is complete. Of thefe fix are cardinal bilhops,
the bilheps of Ollia, of Porto, Albano, Sabino, Tufcu-
lum or Frafcati, and Praenelle or Paldlrina; which are
the fix fuburbicarian churches; fifty are cardinal priells,
who have all titles from parilh churches in Rome ; and
fourteen are cardinal deacons, who have their titles from
churches in Rome of lefs note, called Diaconias or Deacon-
ries. Thefe cardinals are created by the pope when there
happen to be vacancies 5 and fometimes he names one
or two only at a time ; but commonly he defers the
promotion until there be ten or twelve vacancies or
more ; and then at every fecond fuch promotion the
emperor, the kings of Spain and France, and of Bri¬
tain, when Catholic, are allowed to prefent one each,
to be made cardinal, whom the pope always admits if
there be not fome veiy great and evident objeblion.
Thefe cardinals are commonly promoted from among
fuch clergymen as have borne offices in the Roman
court; fome are aflumed from religious orders ; emi¬
nent eccleliallics of other countries are likewife often
honoured with this dignity, as the archbilhops of To¬
ledo and Vienna are at prefent cardinal priells of Rome.
Sons of fovereign princes have frequently been members
of the facred college; and there ends the direct line of
•the royal family of Stuart. Their diflindtive drefs is
icaiiet, to fignify that they ought to be ready to Ihed
their blood for the faith and church, when the defence
and honour of either require it. They wear a fcarlet
cap and hat : the cap is given to them by the pope if
they are at Rome, and is fent to them if they are ab-
ient; but the hat is never given but by the pope’s own
hand. Thefe cardinals form the pope’s Handing coun-
6 ] POP
cil or conjtftory for the management of the public affaiis Papa,
of church and Hate. They are divided into different —-y—**
congregations for the more eafy difpatch of bufinefs; and
fome of them have the principal offices in the pontifi¬
cal court, as that of cardinal-vicar—penitentiary—charir
cellor—camerlingo or chamberlain—prefeft of the figna- -
ture of jultice—prefeil of memorials—and fecretary of
Hate. Fney have the title given them of eminence and
mojl eminent. But here we confider them principally as
the perfons entrulled with the choice of the pope. See
CARDINAL.
. On the demife of a pope his pontifical feal is imme¬
diately broken by the chamberlain, and all public bufi¬
nefs is interrupted that can be delayed : meflengers are
difpatched to all the Catholic fovereigns to acquaint
them of the event, that they may take what meafures
they think proper ; and that the cardinals in their do¬
minions, if any there be, may haften to the future elec¬
tion if they choofe to attend; whilll the whole atten¬
tion of the facred college is turned to the prefervation
of tranquillity in the city and ftate, and to the neceflary
preparations for the future ele&ion. The cardinal cham¬
berlain has, during the vacancy of the holy fee, great
authority ; he coins money with his own arms on it,
lodges in the pope’s apartments, and is attended by
body-guards. He, and the firil cardinal bifliop, the
firft cardinal prieft, and the firfl: cardinal deacon, have,
during that time, the government almoft entirely in
their hands. The body of the deceafed pope is carried
to St Peter’s, where funeral fervice is performed for
him with great pomp for nine days, and the cardinals
attend there every morning. In the mean time, all ne¬
ceflary preparations for the eledlion are made; and the
place where they aflemble for that purpofe, which is
called the conclave, is fitted up in that part of the Vati¬
can palace which is neareft to St Peter’s church, as this
has long been thought the moll convenient fit nation.
Here is formed by partitions of wood a number of cells
or chambers equal to the number of cardinals, with a
fmall diftance between every two, and a broad gallery
before them. A number is put on every cell, and
fmall papers with correfponding numbers are put into a
box : every cardinal, or fome one for him, draws out
one of thefe papers, which determines in what cell he
is to lodge. The cells are lined with cloth ; and there
is a part of each one feparated for the condavifts or at¬
tendants, of whom two are allowed to each cardinal,
and three to cardinal princes. They are perfons of
fome rank, and generally of great confidence; but they
muff carry in their mafter’s meals, ferve him at table,
and perform all the offices of a menial fervant. Two
phyficians, two furgeons, an apothecary, and fome other
neceflary officers, are chofen for the conclave by the
cardinals.
On the xoth day after the pope’s death, the cardi¬
nals, who are then at Rome, and in a competent ftate
of health, meet in the chapel of St Peter’s, which is
called the Gregorian chapel, where a fennon on the
choice of a pope is preached to them, and mafs is faid
for invoking the grace of the Holy Ghoft. Then the
cardinals proceed to the conclave in proceflion two by
two, and take up their abode. When all is properly
fettled, the conclave is fnut up, having boxed wheels or
places of communication in convenient quarters; there
are alfo ftrong guards placed all around. When any
foreign