Learn how is the ‘vote of silence’ made by Vatican employees to the conclave

On Monday, the vote of silence and swore to keep absolute confidentiality, under penalty of excommunication. The ceremony, which took place in the Pauline Chapel, is foreseen by the Universi Dominici Gregis Apostolic Constitution to all participants. The oath of the cardinals who will choose the new Pope is done separately and will be held on Wednesday (7), date of the beginning of the conclave. The signs of telephony will be cut inside the Vatican to isolate the cardinals of external influences, announced the Holy See.

Oath text

“I promise and swear to observe the absolute secret with anyone who is not part of the College of Cardinals voters, and this perpetually, unless it receives a special college expressly given by the new pontiff elected or its successors, regarding all that concerns directly or indirectly to the vote and the scrutiny for the election of the Supreme Pontiff.”

Once they were instructed about the meaning of the oath, they all pronounced the words and signed the text against Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.

See the list of professionals

• Seven pontifical ceremonary;
• Ecclesiastical chosen by the cardinal who presides over the conclave to help him in his function;
• Two Agostinian religious in charge of the pontifical sacristy;
• Religious of various languages ​​for confessions;
• Doctors and nurses;
• Ascensioner of the Apostolic Palace;
• In charge of the cafeteria and cleaning services;
• Floriculture and technical services employees;
• In charge of the transportation of voters from Casa Santa Marta to the Apostolic Palace;
• Colonel and Major of the Pontifical Swiss Guard,
• Surveillance in charge of the Sistine Chapel;
• Director of Security and Civil Protection Services of the State of the Vatican City with some of its employees.

Vatican isolation

Cardinals begin on Tuesday to settle in the residence of Santa Marta and other dependencies of the Vatican, where they will remain isolated from the world during the conclave until the choice of Pope Francis’ successor. The identity of the future pontiff is the great unknown to 1.4 billion Catholics and for the world, after the reformist pontificate of the Argentine Jesuit aroused popular fervor and a division within the church.

“There are several profiles, many personalities that could be chosen. I would say that at least five or six,” Algiers’ cardinal and touching, Jean-Paul Vesco told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. During the Conclave, the “princes of the church” must remain without telephone, without access to the internet or the media, and keep confidentiality about everything that concerns the election of the new Pontiff.

In the neighboring St. Peter’s Square, thousands of people will remain with the eyes facing the chimney installed on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel waiting to glimpse the white smoke, the first sign of the 267th Pope election. Bento XVI’s elections in 2005 and Francisco’s in 2013 took two days. But some analysts believe in a longer process in 2025, in particular because it is the most international conclave in history, with cardinals from 70 countries

A total of 133 cardinals voters – under 80 – will participate in the election. Most were raised at this level during the pontificate of the first Latin American Pope. The high number of cardinals has caused Santa Marta’s residence, where they have been staying since the 2005 conclave, was small: a neighboring building, which usually houses Vatican employees, was qualified for the historic moment.

Before 2005, the cardinals stayed in improvised rooms in the more uncomfortable apostolic palace with few bathrooms, which motivated Pope John Paul II to determine the construction of the current residence. Santa Marta, where Francisco decided to live, has rooms with private bathroom and services similar to those of a hotel. The distribution of the rooms between the cardinals was defined by draw.

Debated issues

On Tuesday, the cardinals organized the last preparatory meeting, which took place almost daily since the death of Jorge Mario Bergoglio on April 21. At meetings, they address various issues about the church.

Among the topics that have already been discussed are the Vatican finances, the scandal of sexual aggressions, the unity of the church and the profile of the next Pope. Many cardinals took the opportunity to meet. Discussions also feed their reflection on the final vote in the Sistine Chapel, in front of Michelangelo’s final judgment in the 16th century and closed doors.

“There are candidates, as it were, natural, those who are already known for their role and personality. And then there are those who speak and make you think: This is a strong statement. But there is none that ‘crush’ others, no one you can think: it will be him,” Vesco said.

*With information from Estadão Contents and International Agencies
Posted by Carolina Ferreira