To those who have read the novel or watched the movie, I am offering the following observations about the things that were erroneously depicted in the novel/movie particularly in the scenes depicting the “Sede Vacante(1)” and “Conclave(2)”, to put things in the right perspective:
On the Manner of Burial of the Pope
In examining the body of the previous Pope, the Swiss Guards simply slid back the marble top of the tomb to check the tongue of the Pope; while as a matter of fact, Popes are laid in 3 coffins(3) , which would have made this task somewhat more difficult.
Conclave
The novel (made into a movie) asserts several non-facts about the process of a Papal conclave. It suggests that only cardinals may be elected in a conclave and when they considered the camerlengo to be the next pope, one of the cardinals said that the only requirement is for one to have been ordained. This is not true, because technically, any baptized male Catholic who is not a heretic, or in schism, or notorious for simony can be elected pope. The last man who was not a bishop to be elected pope was Cardinal Mauro Alberto Cappellari, a Camaldolese monk and prefect of the former Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, who was elected in 1831 and took the name Gregory XVI. The last non-cardinal to be elected pope was in 1378 when the Archbishop of Bari became Pope Urban VI. During a period of intense rivalry between Roman noble families, at least three laymen were elected pope: Benedict VIII (1012-24); John XIX (1024-32); and Benedict IX (1032-44; 1045;047-48).
The novel further suggests that four candidates whom Langdon calls the “preferitti” are semi-formally chosen, including a head, to become the candidates for papacy, thus making the Conclave obsolete. This is again not true. Though there are “papabile” (papable) cardinals, they are not practical definites before the beginning of the conclave. Further, ballots are restricted to two in the morning and two in the afternoon and each group is burned together. Dan Brown indicates they are burned individually and indicates that more than two may occur in the afternoon. The Cardinals do not stay in the Sistine Chapel overnight. They go back to Domus Sanctae Marthae (the cardinals’ official residence in the Vatican during conclave) after two balloting in the morning and two balloting in the afternoon (in the case a pope hasn't been elected in those balloting).
The Camerlengo
Brown gives the role of “Camerlengo” to the late Pope's secretary. The Camerlengo does play an important role during the Sede Vacante and Conclave, but he is never the pope's secretary. In fact, the Camerlengo is a member of the College of Cardinals and is appointed by the pope. He serves as acting head of State of the Vatican City during the “Sede Vacante”. The late Pope's secretary has no authority over anyone in the Vatican, as he loses his job when the pope dies.
The Dean of College of Cardinals
Also, the novel states that the "Dean of the College of Cardinals" of the conclave cannot be elected; in fact, he can, and he actually was in the 2005 conclave (the then Cardinal Ratzinger was the Dean of the College of Cardinals). It should also be noted that the "Devil's Advocate" has nothing to do with the papal election (but with the process of beatification).
Although "Angels and Demons" is a fiction, I was compelled to write these observations because most readers/watchers tend to take what they read/watch as the truth. As a priest, I was bombarded with questions about it years ago, when the novel first came out.
___________________
(1)The expression sede vacante in this sense, refers to the vacancy of the Holy See, which occurs after the death or resignation of a pope. In a wider sense, it refers to the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church. It is Latin for "the seat being vacant, that is, the cathedra of the particular church. This means that for a diocese the diocesan bishop has either died, resigned, transferred to a different diocese, or lost his office and a replacement has not yet been named. If there is a coadjutor bishop for the church, then this period does not take place, as a coadjutor bishop immediately succeeds to the episcopal see.
(2)The convening of the College of Cardinals for the purpose of electing the pope, when the holy see is vacant.
(3) The innermost coffin is made of cypress to signify the pope'shumanity. Before burial, the cypress coffin is sealed in an 800-pound lead coffin. The outermost coffin is made of elm to symbolize the great dignity of the pope. Both the lead and elm coffins bear bronze plaques with the name of the pope and the significant dates of his life.
On the Manner of Burial of the Pope
In examining the body of the previous Pope, the Swiss Guards simply slid back the marble top of the tomb to check the tongue of the Pope; while as a matter of fact, Popes are laid in 3 coffins(3) , which would have made this task somewhat more difficult.
Conclave
The novel (made into a movie) asserts several non-facts about the process of a Papal conclave. It suggests that only cardinals may be elected in a conclave and when they considered the camerlengo to be the next pope, one of the cardinals said that the only requirement is for one to have been ordained. This is not true, because technically, any baptized male Catholic who is not a heretic, or in schism, or notorious for simony can be elected pope. The last man who was not a bishop to be elected pope was Cardinal Mauro Alberto Cappellari, a Camaldolese monk and prefect of the former Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, who was elected in 1831 and took the name Gregory XVI. The last non-cardinal to be elected pope was in 1378 when the Archbishop of Bari became Pope Urban VI. During a period of intense rivalry between Roman noble families, at least three laymen were elected pope: Benedict VIII (1012-24); John XIX (1024-32); and Benedict IX (1032-44; 1045;047-48).
The novel further suggests that four candidates whom Langdon calls the “preferitti” are semi-formally chosen, including a head, to become the candidates for papacy, thus making the Conclave obsolete. This is again not true. Though there are “papabile” (papable) cardinals, they are not practical definites before the beginning of the conclave. Further, ballots are restricted to two in the morning and two in the afternoon and each group is burned together. Dan Brown indicates they are burned individually and indicates that more than two may occur in the afternoon. The Cardinals do not stay in the Sistine Chapel overnight. They go back to Domus Sanctae Marthae (the cardinals’ official residence in the Vatican during conclave) after two balloting in the morning and two balloting in the afternoon (in the case a pope hasn't been elected in those balloting).
The Camerlengo
Brown gives the role of “Camerlengo” to the late Pope's secretary. The Camerlengo does play an important role during the Sede Vacante and Conclave, but he is never the pope's secretary. In fact, the Camerlengo is a member of the College of Cardinals and is appointed by the pope. He serves as acting head of State of the Vatican City during the “Sede Vacante”. The late Pope's secretary has no authority over anyone in the Vatican, as he loses his job when the pope dies.
The Dean of College of Cardinals
Also, the novel states that the "Dean of the College of Cardinals" of the conclave cannot be elected; in fact, he can, and he actually was in the 2005 conclave (the then Cardinal Ratzinger was the Dean of the College of Cardinals). It should also be noted that the "Devil's Advocate" has nothing to do with the papal election (but with the process of beatification).
Although "Angels and Demons" is a fiction, I was compelled to write these observations because most readers/watchers tend to take what they read/watch as the truth. As a priest, I was bombarded with questions about it years ago, when the novel first came out.
___________________
(1)The expression sede vacante in this sense, refers to the vacancy of the Holy See, which occurs after the death or resignation of a pope. In a wider sense, it refers to the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church. It is Latin for "the seat being vacant, that is, the cathedra of the particular church. This means that for a diocese the diocesan bishop has either died, resigned, transferred to a different diocese, or lost his office and a replacement has not yet been named. If there is a coadjutor bishop for the church, then this period does not take place, as a coadjutor bishop immediately succeeds to the episcopal see.
(2)The convening of the College of Cardinals for the purpose of electing the pope, when the holy see is vacant.
(3) The innermost coffin is made of cypress to signify the pope'shumanity. Before burial, the cypress coffin is sealed in an 800-pound lead coffin. The outermost coffin is made of elm to symbolize the great dignity of the pope. Both the lead and elm coffins bear bronze plaques with the name of the pope and the significant dates of his life.
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