Workers attach chimney pipe to Sistine Chapel as Cardinals prepare for Monday Conclave

AP Wire (direct feed) | April 15, 2005 | Nicole Winfield

[NYer]

VATICAN CITY (AP) _ Workers scaled the roof of the Sistine Chapel on Friday and attached the chimney pipe that will bellow white smoke to alert the world that a new pope has been elected, as the Vatican made final preparations for next week's conclave.

Attached by a safety clip and cable, a worker climbed down the tiled roof and uncapped a small top that had covered the chimney. He replaced it with a tall, thin pipe fed to him by another man in dress pants and a tie who was standing in an opening in the chapel's sloped roof.

The conclave begins Monday. Starting that afternoon, the cardinals will send up smoke signals from the burned ballot papers of the vote to indicate whether they have found a successor to Pope John Paul II. Black smoke means no pope has been elected; white smoke signals a new pope.

The preparations for the balloting came as the College of Cardinals, who are running the church in the absence of a pope, held their second-to-last meeting before the conclave. Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the 138 cardinals present spent the entire meeting discussing the problems of the church in the world. Cardinals who headed Vatican congregations and councils also discussed problems in their offices, he said.

Later Friday, housekeepers, bus drivers, technicians and other people who will have access to the cardinals during the conclave take their oath of secrecy. The list includes elevator operators who will ferry the cardinals, chefs who will cook for them, doctors who will care for them if they fall ill and priests who will hear their confessions.

The penalties for violating the oath are severe: excommunication.

AP-ES-04-15-05 0824EDT

[NYer]

Workers install the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Friday April 15, 2005.The chimney is connected to the stove used to burn ballot papers during the conclave. When white smoke passes through, it will mean the new pope has been chosen.

Two stoves, a new one and the original (R), sit ready for the conclave in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, April 15, 2005.

VOTING PROCEDURE

[NYer]

Workers prepare the Vatican's Sistine Chapel for the conclave, April 15, 2005. The conclave that starts on Monday to elect Pope John Paul's successor in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel will be steeped in age-old traditions -- cardinals in red cassocks, Latin chants and ballots written on the finest quality paper. But this fresh look conclave will also be the first with new rules -- including allowing fresh air for the 'inmates.' REUTERS/Osservatore Romano

Cardinals pray before the meeting of the College of Cardinals in the Synod Hall at the Vatican, April 15, 2005. The conclave that starts on Monday to elect Pope John Paul's successor in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel will be steeped in age-old traditions -- cardinals in red cassocks, Latin chants and ballots written on the finest quality paper. REUTERS/Osservatore Romano

Catholic Ping - Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[mike182d]

As a 23-year-old who was not even alive to witness the last conclave, this is more exciting than I imagined! In theory, we could have a new Pope in the next couple days!

[wideawake]

I wonder if there's a webcam that will show the smoke after each ballot.

[gridlock]

There was a movie about the election of a Pope back in the 50s or 60s. I remember it went into great detail about the burning of the ballots and the crowds watching this chimney from the Plaza below. Does any FReeper recall the name of that movie? (After all, FReepers know everything!) I would love to rent it!

[NYer]

this is more exciting than I imagined!

It gets even more suspenseful as you wait each day for the smoke to rise. Media around the globe will have cameras trained on that smokestack watching and waiting for 'white' smoke. And when that happens, everyone will take a deep breath and wait for the announcement ...

Abemus Papam

... and then he will emerge on the balcony, dressed in white, to give his first blessing to those assembled, as the name he has chosen is announced.

I've been through several of these and each one is thrilling!

[gridlock]

The movie was "Shoes of the Fisherman" with Anthony Quinn. I answered my own question!

[NYer]

Does any FReeper recall the name of that movie?

I believe you may be referring to The Shoes of the Fisherman.

[NYer]

Entry Into The Conclave

[Serb5150]

Why do they choose a new name?

[gridlock]

I just went and snarfed up an old VHS of Shoes of the Fisherman from Amazon. I suspect they will be selling out shortly. If anybody wants to view this after I'm done with it, send me a FReepmail.

[wideawake]

Pope John II was born a pagan and his name was Mercurius (after the pagan god Mercury or Hermes).

He felt that it would be undignified for the vicar of Christ to be named for a false deity, so he changed his name.

It was also common in monasteries to take a new name to reflect a new life.

The custom persisted.

[mike182d]

Why do they choose a new name?

Simply put, throughout the Bible, God bestows a new name upon individuals who are "born-again" or entrusted with an important mission for the Church: Abram - Abraham, Simon - Kepha, Saul - Paul, et cetera. Its also similar to the Sacrament of Confirmation in which a candidate chooses a Confirmation name.

There's a more thorough explanation, but hopefully this will suffice :-)

[ELS]

Abemus Papam

Habemus Papam!

[Serb5150]

His name was Mercurius? That's the first time I've heard that... thanks for the explanation, I had been wondering about that for awhile.

[mike182d]

You referring to John II (533-535) who was the first to change his name and not Pope John Paul II, whose name was Karol, correct?

Just clarifying for those not familiar with the line of Popes. :-)

[wideawake]

Yes. John II.

[wideawake]

Yes, but I'm talking about John II who died in 535 AD not John Paul II. Just to clarify.

[TX Bluebonnet]

How do they change the color of the smoke?

[mike182d]

How do they change the color of the smoke?

The same way they did in Back to the Future III, with red, yellow, and green colored logs :-)