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CNN Saturday Morning News
Catholic's Celebrate Pope's 25 anniversary this Week
Aired October 18, 2003 - 07:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Catholics worldwide helped Pope John Paul celebrate his 25th anniversary this week. Now in ailing health, many wonder how long the 83-year-old pontiff can carry out his duties.
With that backdrop, we want to talk now about the process involved in choosing a pope.
Joining us from Rome is CNN Vatican analyst John Allen -- John, thanks so much for being here this morning.
You know, there are a lot of questions about this. I don't think very many people are familiar with the process.
Could you run through it briefly for us?
JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: Well, Heidi, there's a great reason for that, which is this process doesn't happen that often. I mean, as you know, the last time it happened was 25 years ago. It's not within the living memory of a lot of people.
What will happen is when the pope dies, there's a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 20 days between that moment and the beginning of the election. And that's called the interregnum. And that is the period in which kind of the politicking takes place. Coalitions form, candidates are identified.
At the end of that time, then, the cardinals will process into the Sistine Chapel, which is this magnificent chapel inside the Apostolic Palace with these enormous frescoes by Michelangelo, especially, of course, that famous one of the Last Judgment.
In an event called a conclave, which comes from two Latin words meaning with a key, and the idea is they're locked in behind closed doors. And then they vote in a complex ceremonial process, with handwritten ballots. And, of course, you know, peak moments during this time will be after every couple of ballots, those ballots, if they're inconclusive, they're collected and burned in a chimney with chemicals added to produce a black smoke. That's the signal that no pope has been elected.
When that magic moment comes in which the pope has been elected, of course, the smoke will be white, we've got ourselves a pope.
COLLINS: And let me ask you, quickly, at this point, John, I know that of the 135 cardinals designated to choose Pope John Paul's successor, he appointed all but five of them.
What will that mean? I mean are we going to see another pope who will be created or chosen in Pope John Paul II's image?
ALLEN: To tell you the truth, that means very little. I mean this is a little bit like presidents trying to stack the deck on a Supreme Court. It simply doesn't work. For one thing, you've got considerable diversity within that College of Cardinals. But for another, there's always this sense that this particular pope, this particular pope's way of doing business has had its day in court. There's a need to try something else.
So conclaves always produce surprise. The way the Italians put the point is, you always follow a fat pope with a thin one.
COLLINS: OK. Well, that's an easy way of putting it. So then let's talk about the criteria, then, as we look now at candidates.
What will the cardinals be looking for?
ALLEN: Well, traditional criteria would include things like how old the candidate is because, of course, popes serve for life. Therefore, you regulate how long a pontificate you want with how old a man you elect.
Also, geography, where does the next pope come from? There's a tremendous sense within the College of Cardinals that, all things being equal, it would be nice for the next pope to come out of the Third World.
Then, of course, charisma; his position on theological issues; and last, but certainly not least, his personal holiness. I mean obviously the cardinals will want to elect a holy pope.
COLLINS: Right. Of course.
Quickly, before we go, John, any names that have been thrown out there at this point?
ALLEN: Well, listen, the trash heaps of church history are littered with the carcasses of journalists who have tried to predict the next pope. This is a hazardous business. But what, a couple of names you might keep an eye on would be Cardinal Claudio Hummes out of Sao Paulo in Brazil and Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga from Tegucigalpa in Honduras, two leading Latin American candidates that would give you that Third World pope we talked about.
COLLINS: All right, very good.
Thanks so much.
John Allen, our CNN vacation analyst, coming to us from Rome this morning.
We do appreciate it, John.
Thanks so much.
And we also want to remind you that later today on "People In The News," the legacy of Pope John Paul II. On his 25th anniversary, we take a look at his lasting achievements and biggest disappointments. That is today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time.
And tune in tomorrow, as well, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern for a CNN special, "Mother Teresa: On the Road To Sainthood."
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 18, 2003 - 07:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Catholics worldwide helped Pope John Paul celebrate his 25th anniversary this week. Now in ailing health, many wonder how long the 83-year-old pontiff can carry out his duties.
With that backdrop, we want to talk now about the process involved in choosing a pope.
Joining us from Rome is CNN Vatican analyst John Allen -- John, thanks so much for being here this morning.
You know, there are a lot of questions about this. I don't think very many people are familiar with the process.
Could you run through it briefly for us?
JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: Well, Heidi, there's a great reason for that, which is this process doesn't happen that often. I mean, as you know, the last time it happened was 25 years ago. It's not within the living memory of a lot of people.
What will happen is when the pope dies, there's a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 20 days between that moment and the beginning of the election. And that's called the interregnum. And that is the period in which kind of the politicking takes place. Coalitions form, candidates are identified.
At the end of that time, then, the cardinals will process into the Sistine Chapel, which is this magnificent chapel inside the Apostolic Palace with these enormous frescoes by Michelangelo, especially, of course, that famous one of the Last Judgment.
In an event called a conclave, which comes from two Latin words meaning with a key, and the idea is they're locked in behind closed doors. And then they vote in a complex ceremonial process, with handwritten ballots. And, of course, you know, peak moments during this time will be after every couple of ballots, those ballots, if they're inconclusive, they're collected and burned in a chimney with chemicals added to produce a black smoke. That's the signal that no pope has been elected.
When that magic moment comes in which the pope has been elected, of course, the smoke will be white, we've got ourselves a pope.
COLLINS: And let me ask you, quickly, at this point, John, I know that of the 135 cardinals designated to choose Pope John Paul's successor, he appointed all but five of them.
What will that mean? I mean are we going to see another pope who will be created or chosen in Pope John Paul II's image?
ALLEN: To tell you the truth, that means very little. I mean this is a little bit like presidents trying to stack the deck on a Supreme Court. It simply doesn't work. For one thing, you've got considerable diversity within that College of Cardinals. But for another, there's always this sense that this particular pope, this particular pope's way of doing business has had its day in court. There's a need to try something else.
So conclaves always produce surprise. The way the Italians put the point is, you always follow a fat pope with a thin one.
COLLINS: OK. Well, that's an easy way of putting it. So then let's talk about the criteria, then, as we look now at candidates.
What will the cardinals be looking for?
ALLEN: Well, traditional criteria would include things like how old the candidate is because, of course, popes serve for life. Therefore, you regulate how long a pontificate you want with how old a man you elect.
Also, geography, where does the next pope come from? There's a tremendous sense within the College of Cardinals that, all things being equal, it would be nice for the next pope to come out of the Third World.
Then, of course, charisma; his position on theological issues; and last, but certainly not least, his personal holiness. I mean obviously the cardinals will want to elect a holy pope.
COLLINS: Right. Of course.
Quickly, before we go, John, any names that have been thrown out there at this point?
ALLEN: Well, listen, the trash heaps of church history are littered with the carcasses of journalists who have tried to predict the next pope. This is a hazardous business. But what, a couple of names you might keep an eye on would be Cardinal Claudio Hummes out of Sao Paulo in Brazil and Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga from Tegucigalpa in Honduras, two leading Latin American candidates that would give you that Third World pope we talked about.
COLLINS: All right, very good.
Thanks so much.
John Allen, our CNN vacation analyst, coming to us from Rome this morning.
We do appreciate it, John.
Thanks so much.
And we also want to remind you that later today on "People In The News," the legacy of Pope John Paul II. On his 25th anniversary, we take a look at his lasting achievements and biggest disappointments. That is today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time.
And tune in tomorrow, as well, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern for a CNN special, "Mother Teresa: On the Road To Sainthood."
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
