On Thursday, April 24, Vatican expert Kurt Martens gave an insider’s look into what happens after a pope dies before a captivated audience in Heritage Hall. Martens is a professor of canon law at The Catholic University of America’s School of Canon Law, the only institution of its type in the United States. Students, faculty, and staff gained unique insights into the traditions that impact countless faithful across the globe. The event was also live-streamed.
Pope Francis entered into eternal life April 21, the day after Easter Sunday, and a series of ancient rituals follows. From lying in state and the Requiem Mass to the burial and the novemdiales (nine days of mourning) before the conclave begins, he explained that the funeral rites are how “the Church manifests her faith in the victory of the risen Christ over sin and death.” The rites further express the universality of the Church.
Martens said that the mourning period honors the one who dedicated his life to his flock and expresses our belief that death is not the end but a new beginning. The election of a new Holy Father likewise is a prayerful process invoking the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
“This is about who we are as a Church. We celebrate, we pray, and we ask for the intervention of the Holy Spirit,” said Martens.
Martens was quick to dispel popular misconceptions about the conclave to elect the next successor of St. Peter.
“From the start of the vacancy until the election, this is not like something on Capitol Hill. This is a prayerful event,” said Martens, noting that this is one of the reasons liturgical law guides the ceremonies. “This is an ecclesial event. It is the working of the Holy Spirit that we believe inspires the Cardinals.”
Throughout the conclave, the cardinal-electors do not communicate with the outside world except by the famous smoke that, when it turns from black to white, signals the election of a new pope. This secrecy, he explained, is to prevent outside pressure on the process. He said even temporary walls are built to preserve the conclave area from intrusion.
Martens also said, despite recent dramatizations such as the film Conclave, we shouldn’t expect any revelations about any cardinals secretly appointed by the pope.
“The very definition of a cardinal in pectore is that only the Pope knows the name of the one who was created in pectore. They only show up unannounced in a movie scenario,” said Martens. In any case, unless and until a pope reveals such an appointment, such a man would have none of a cardinal’s rights or duties and the appointment would lapse upon a pope’s death.
Among the little known facts he shared, a cardinal must be under 80 on the day before the pope dies to be eligible to vote. This meant one cardinal whose birthday was two days before Francis died became ineligible to vote. There are 135 cardinal-electors eligible to participate in the conclave.
“Life can be tough,” quipped Martens.
Martens also said a person does not have to be a cardinal to be eligible for the papacy. In fact, any baptized male who can receive episcopal consecration can hypothetically be elected pope.
“What if someone is elected who is outside the conclave or Vatican City State? He would be brought into the conclave in secret and be asked if he accepts,” said Martens of this remote possibility.
Martens did not speculate on who might be in the running, telling the audience that lists about potential frontrunners tell us little about what’s really going on behind closed doors. It’s easy to get caught up in speculation about who might be the next leader of the world’s largest religion, but what really matters is what this time means in the life of the Catholic Church.
“It’s a celebration. It’s not just an election. It’s not just about casting ballots. Everything that happens begins with prayer,” Martens said.
