logo
Paper Ballots and Sacred Oaths: A Look Inside the Papal Conclave

Paper Ballots and Sacred Oaths: A Look Inside the Papal Conclave

New York Times07-05-2025
The conclave to elect the next pope is now underway at the Vatican. The cardinals — the prelates who are just below the pope in the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy — will vote by secret ballot for a successor to Pope Francis until one candidate earns a two-thirds majority.
While we may not know what's being said during the conclave — it is off limits to outsiders — we do have a pretty good idea what it will look like. During the gathering, the cardinals will follow specific instructions and use several distinctive objects to facilitate the process, many steeped in tradition.
Here's a look at some of those objects, and the meaning behind them.
Voting Instruments
When the cardinals vote in the Sistine Chapel, they will be sitting in rows of simple wooden tables. At one end of the chapel, a large table is set up for those who run the voting, according to the Universi Dominici Gregis, or U.D.G., one of the documents used to govern the papal transition.
The room also contains voting instruments, including an urn to receive the ballots, a set of wooden balls, and a needle and twine. The urn is used to collect the ballots, rectangular pieces of paper printed with the Latin phrase 'Eligo in Summum Pontificem' ('I elect as Supreme Pontiff').
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Catholic clergy: 'It is time to end this nonsense' in Gaza
Catholic clergy: 'It is time to end this nonsense' in Gaza

UPI

time3 days ago

  • UPI

Catholic clergy: 'It is time to end this nonsense' in Gaza

1 of 6 | Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, called for an end to "this nonsense" during a joint press conference about the severe suffering they witnessed during a rare visit to Gaza on Tuesday. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo July 22 (UPI) -- The Catholic Church's Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem called on regional and world leaders to end the violence in Gaza after Thursday's deadly church shelling. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Patriarch Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and other clergy toured the remains of the Catholic Church of the Holy Family in northern Gaza on Tuesday. They called for an end to the war during a press conference held afterward at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center in Israel. "We entered a place of devastation, but also of wonderful humanity," Pizzaballa told media. "We walked through the dust of ruins, past collapsed buildings and tents everywhere: in courtyards, alleyways, on the streets and on the beach -- tents that have become homes for those who have lost everything," Pizzaballa said. "And yet, in the midst of all this, we encountered something deeper than the destruction: the dignity of the human spirit that refuses to be extinguished," he continued. "We met mothers preparing food for others, nurses treating wounds with gentleness, and people of all faiths still praying to the God who sees and never forgets." Pizzaballa called on regional and world leaders to find a way to restore "life, dignity and all lost humanity" in Gaza. "It is time to end this nonsense, to end the war and put the common good of people as the top priority," he said. Patriarch Theophilos III called Gaza a "land bruised by prolonged affliction and pierced by the cries of its people" after touring the church's grounds. "We entered as servants of the suffering Body of Christ, walking among the wounded, the bereaved, the displaced and the faithful whose dignity remains unbroken despite their agony," Theophilos III said. "We encountered a people crushed by the weight of war, yet carrying within them the image of God," he said. "Among the broken walls of the Church of the Holy Family and the wounded hearts of its faithful, we witnessed both profound grief and unyielding hope." Theophilos III said, "Silence in the face of suffering is a betrayal of conscience," and called on the international community to make peace in Gaza. Two were killed and several injured, including a priest who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, when the IDF shelled the church. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday apologized for Israel Defense Forces shelling the Catholic church, which is the only one in Gaza. He said a "stray ammunition" struck the church, and Israeli officials are investigating the matter. Local residents and displaced Gazans were using the church for shelter when it was struck.

New York county clerk rejects Texas's effort to fine doctor in abortion pill case
New York county clerk rejects Texas's effort to fine doctor in abortion pill case

Yahoo

time3 days ago

  • Yahoo

New York county clerk rejects Texas's effort to fine doctor in abortion pill case

A New York county clerk again rejected an effort by Texas to fine a New York-based doctor accused of shipping abortion pills across state lines, in a case that could tee up a US supreme court showdown between states that protect abortion access and those that ban it. On Monday, the acting Ulster county clerk, Taylor Bruck, rejected a court filing by Texas's attorney general, Ken Paxton, which sought to collect a $113,000 penalty against Dr Margaret Carpenter. Paxton had sued Carpenter in December 2024 over allegations she shipped abortion pills to a Texas woman in defiance of the state's ban on virtually all abortions. When Carpenter did not show up to a court hearing earlier this year, a judge automatically ruled against her and ordered her to pay the fine as well as stop mailing pills to Texas. However, New York is one of a handful of blue states that has enacted a 'shield law', which blocks state officials from extraditing abortion providers to other states or complying with out-of-state court orders. In his initial refusal to levy the fine, issued in March, Bruck cited the shield law. Related: Planned Parenthood offices begin rejecting Medicaid after Trump signs bill to defund healthcare organization 'The rejection stands. Resubmitting the same materials does not alter the outcome,' Bruck said in his response to Paxton on Monday. 'While I'm not entirely sure how things work in Texas, here in New York, a rejection means the matter is closed.' As a signoff, Bruck added New York state's motto: 'Excelsior.' The word means 'ever upward' in Latin. Paxton's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. After the first rejection, Paxton said in a statement that he was 'outraged'. 'New York is shredding the constitution to hide lawbreakers from justice, and it must end,' he continued. 'I will not stop my efforts to enforce Texas's pro-life laws that protect our unborn children and mothers.' Shield laws like New York's, which sprang up in the years since the US supreme court overturned Roe v Wade, have never been tested in court. However, anti-abortion activists are trying to change that, as they have grown increasingly frustrated by the accessibility of abortion through out-of-state travel and the availability of abortions pills through telehealth. Despite the wave of state-level abortion bans unleashed by the fall of Roe, the number of abortions performed in the US is still on the rise, in large part thanks to providers' ability to facilitate the procedure through shield laws. In December 2024, shield law providers facilitated almost 14,000 abortions in states that ban almost all abortions or that restrict telehealth abortions, according to #WeCount, a research project by the Society of Family Planning. Experts widely expect that the Texas case, or another similar case involving shield laws, will ultimately be decided by the supreme court. Solve the daily Crossword

Brazil's president warns of retaliation after Trump unveils 50 percent tariffs
Brazil's president warns of retaliation after Trump unveils 50 percent tariffs

Yahoo

time5 days ago

  • Yahoo

Brazil's president warns of retaliation after Trump unveils 50 percent tariffs

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned on Wednesday that his government is prepared to retaliate after President Trump announced plans to impose 50 percent tariffs on goods imported from his country. In a statement posted to the social platform X, the Brazilian leader pushed back on 'inaccurate' claims of a U.S. trade deficit in its commercial relationship with Brazil, saying, 'Statistics from the U.S. government itself show a surplus of $410 billion in the trade of goods and services with Brazil over the past 15 years.' 'Therefore, any unilateral tariff increases will be addressed in accordance with Brazil's Economic Reciprocity Law,' Lula continued in the statement. 'Sovereignty, respect and the unwavering defense of the interests of the Brazilian people are the values that guide our relationship with the world,' he added. The Economic Reciprocity Law was signed into law April 14, shortly after Trump announced his sweeping tariffs on numerous countries. The government cited Trump's tariffs as the impetus for the law. The law authorizes the legislative branch to 'adopt countermeasures in the form of restrictions to the importation of goods and services or measures to suspend concessions in the areas of trade, investments, and obligations related to intellectual property rights, as well as measures to suspend other obligations foreseen in any of the country's trade agreements.' Lula's statement comes after Trump announced Wednesday the 50 percent tariff on all goods from Brazil, citing the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro over an alleged plot to remain in power after losing an election. Trump, who has criticized Brazil's treatment of Bolsonaro in recent days, said in a letter to Lula that the new tariffs would take effect Aug. 1 and are 'due in part to Brazil's insidious attacks on Free Elections and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans.' Trump also cited Brazil's 'Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers.' 'The way that Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro, a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term, including by the United States, is an international disgrace. This Trial should not be taking place. It is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!' Trump wrote in the letter, which was posted to the president's Truth Social platform. Lula, in his statement late Wednesday, defended the independence of his country's institutions, saying, 'Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of tutelage.' 'The judicial proceedings against those responsible for planning the coup d'état fall exclusively under the jurisdiction of Brazil's Judicial Branch and, as such, are not subject to any interference or threats that could compromise the independence of national institutions,' Lula continued. Lula also warned that digital companies must reject 'hateful content' and anti-democratic speech on their platforms if they want to continue operating in Brazil. 'In the context of digital platforms, Brazilian society rejects hateful content, racism, child pornography, scams, fraud, and speeches against human rights and democratic freedom,' he wrote. 'In Brazil, freedom of expression must not be confused with aggression or violent practices. All companies—whether domestic or foreign—must comply with Brazilian law in order to operate within our territory.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store