Word: camerlengo
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...edges, Pope Pius often neglected the Vatican itself. He seemed to shrink from making much-needed appointments to the central machinery of the church. Result, at the time of his death: 15 vacancies in a superannuated College of Cardinals, no Secretary of State, no governor for Vatican City, no camerlengo (see The Succession). Said one of his closest advisers sadly last week: "He provided badly for his successor...
Since Pius XII had not filled the office that would become most important after his death, that of Camerlengo (chamberlain), the 13 cardinals in Rome on the day he died hurriedly chose one: 79-year-old Vatican Diplomat Benedetto Aloisi Cardinal Masella. One of his first duties was the breaking of the Fisherman's ring worn by the late Pope as well as the larger papal seals used for documents. (Traditional purpose: to ensure against forging of papal documents...
Next, the new Camerlengo held daily meetings in the tapestried Consistory Hall with cardinals arriving from all over the world. Each cardinal had to be sworn not to reveal any detail of the papal election, and, in case he is chosen Pope, not to surrender any of the Vatican's independence. Restrictions of the Camerlengo's authority are severe; with the heads of the Sacred Congregations, he superintends whatever Vatican business may not be postponed but may not make major decisions. Sign of his office: an umbrella, ancient Oriental symbol of power, once used to represent the papacy...
...Habemus Papam . . ." The Fisherman's Ring (showing St. Peter fishing from a boat), which had been worn by the dead Pope, had been broken. Torch-bearing guards searched the Apostolic Palace to see that no intruders were present. Then, as Camerlengo (prelate in charge of the Holy See between pontificates), Cardinal Pacelli personally locked the big bronze door. Next day, after the Mass of the Holy Ghost, he marched with 61 other cardinals into the conclave. On 62 throne chairs around the Sistine Chapel, facing Michelangelo's Last Judgment, sat the princes of the Church...