Cardinals begin conclave with solemn oath, prayer

(Vatican Radio) Early Tuesday evening, the doors of the Sistine Chapel closed and the 115 Cardinal electors found themselves at the start of their conclave to elect a new pope.

The Cardinals began their day with a holy mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. Then, at 4:30 Tuesday afternoon, the Cardinals processed from the 16th century Pauline Chapel down the grand Sala Regia (Royal Hall) to the Sistine Chapel at the start of their conclave to elect the 265^th Successor of Saint Peter.

Following the rules outlined in the Book of the Rites of the Conclave, the senior Cardinal in the hierarchy, currently Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, presided over the celebration, which began with the sign of the cross and the proclamation of the following words:

“May the Lord, who guides our hearts in the love and patience of Christ, be with you all.”

After this brief prayer, Cardinal Re invited all those gathered to begin the procession towards the Sistine Chapel with these words:

“Venerable Brothers, after having celebrated the divine mystery, we now enter into Conclave to elect the Roman Pontiff.

The entire Church, joined with us in prayer, constantly calls upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, to elect from among us a worthy Pastor of all of Christ's flock.

May the Lord direct our steps along the path of truth, so that, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, we may always do that which is pleasing to him.”

Chanting the Litany of Saints and the Latin hymn to the Holy Spirit, ‘Veni Creator Spiritus,” the Cardinals’ solemn procession was televised live by Vatican Television and on Vatican Radio’s live streaming channel.

Once inside the Sistine Chapel, the Cardinals recited the Common Form of the oath established by the Apostolic Constitution “Universi Dominici Gregis” for the start of the conclave:

“In conformity with the provisions of No. 52 of the Apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, We, the Cardinal electors present in this election of the Supreme Pontiff promise, pledge and swear, as individuals and as a group, to observe faithfully and scrupulously the prescriptions contained in the Apostolic Constitution of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, Universi Dominici Gregis, published on 22 February 1996. We likewise promise, pledge and swear that whichever of us by divine disposition is elected Roman Pontiff will commit himself faithfully to carrying out the munus Petrinum of Pastor of the Universal Church and will not fail to affirm and defend strenuously the spiritual and temporal rights and the liberty of the Holy See. In a particular way, we promise and swear to observe with the greatest fidelity and with all persons, clerical or lay, secrecy regarding everything that in any way relates to the election of the Roman Pontiff and regarding what occurs in the place of the election, directly or indirectly related to the results of the voting; we promise and swear not to break this secret in any way, either during or after the election of the new Pontiff, unless explicit authorization is granted by the same Pontiff; and never to lend support or favour to any interference, opposition or any other form of intervention, whereby secular authorities of whatever order and degree or any group of people or individuals might wish to intervene in the election of the Roman Pontiff."


Each of the Cardinal electors, according to the order of precedence and many visibly moved, then individually took the oath by placing his right hand on the Gospels and reciting the following formula:


"And I, N. Cardinal N., do so promise, pledge and swear. Placing his hand on the Gospels, he will add: So help me God and these Holy Gospels which I touch with my hand."


The first to swear their fidelity to the solemn task before them included Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re and Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

Once the last of the 115 Cardinals had taken his oath, the Master of Ceremonies, Msgr. Guido Marini, the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations, asked all non-voters to leave the Sistine Chapel with the Latin command, “Extra Omnes,” meaning ‘all out.”

Cardinal Prospero Grech, O.S.A., then preached a second meditation concerning the grave duty incumbent on the Cardinals and thus on the need to commit their actions to the good of the Universal Church. Following that meditation, Cardinal Grech and Msgr Marini left the Sistine Chapel for Cardinal Re to take charge of the polling and scrutiny of the ballots in total secrecy.