[Gumdrop]

I was hoping for Monday. I pray that the new Holy Father will be installed on March 17th.

[dangus]

It would be such a shame if Cardinal O’Malley were stuck in Rome for St. Patrick’s Day. hee hee.

[lightman]

I was hoping for Monday. I pray that the new Holy Father will be installed on March 17th.

Installation on March 17 could still happen...but March 12, the feast of Gregory the Great is an excellent choice for beginning the Conclave.

[Verginius Rufus]

The last conclave to last more than 3 days was in 1922, and that one lasted only 4 days. So we may be told that a new pope has been elected before the Ides of March.

The interval between the election and the consecration will probably be ten days or less, so the new pope may be in office before Easter.

The intervals between election and consecration in the past 110 years are as follows:

1903: 5 days
1914: 3 days
1922: 6 days
1939: 10 days
1958: 7 days
1963: 9 days
1978 (first): 8 days
1978 (second): 7 days
2005: 5 days.

The interval in 1914 was so short because World War I had just broken out (although Italy was not yet a belligerent).