• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
A bird flies by as black smoke billows from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel May 8, 2025, the second day of the conclave. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

Some popes were elected unanimously, but ‘acclamation’ isn’t an option now

May 8, 2025
By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: 2025 Conclave, News, Uncategorized, Vatican, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — “If the Holy Spirit is inspiring them, why do the cardinals need more than one ballot to elect a pope?” a person wrote on X shortly before black smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney May 7.

The smoke meant that the 133 cardinals in the conclave had not given one candidate at least 89 votes, the two-thirds necessary for the election of a pope.

(OSV News graphic/Chelsea Alt)

In 1996, St. John Paul II published his apostolic constitution, “Universi Dominici Gregis” (“Of the Lord’s Whole Flock”), which contains the rules governing the election of the pope.

He kept almost all the provisions for the election set down by St. Paul VI in 1975 with two major exceptions:

St. John Paul ruled out election:

  • By acclamation — also called “quasi-inspiration” — when the cardinals could unanimously proclaim someone pope.
  • By delegation, when a small group of cardinals was chosen to break an electoral impasse.

Pope Benedict XVI updated the rules in 2007 and again shortly before he resigned in 2013. But he did not restore either of the options, insisting a pope must always be elected by two-thirds of the cardinals present and voting.

In the document itself, St. John Paul wrote that “in the light of the present-day needs of the church and the usages of modern society, I have thus considered it fitting not to retain election by acclamation ‘quasi ex inspiratione,’ judging that it is no longer an apt means of interpreting the thought of an electoral college so great in number and so diverse in origin.”

Ambrogio Piazzoni, vice prefect of the Vatican Library in 2013 when Pope Benedict resigned, wrote briefly about elections by acclamation in his book, “History of Papal Elections.”

Pope Gregory XV, elected in 1621, was the last pope to be elected by “spontaneous acclamation” when all the cardinals, believed to be acting under the influence of the Holy Spirit, proclaimed the same candidate to be pope, Piazzoni said.

He told reporters, “Various popes were elected by acclamation,” including Popes Gregory III in 731, Gregory VII in 1073, Sixtus V in 1585. But almost immediately after Pope Gregory XV was elected by acclamation, he took steps “to subordinate this form of election to the verification, in writing, of the unanimity” of the College of Cardinals.

Pope Gregory XV also was first to rule that the cardinals must cast their votes secretly, in writing, rather than verbally.

Read More 2025 Conclave

Broglio: As successor of Peter, pope confirms us ‘in faith,’ calls us ‘back to the Gospel’

Catholic school students ‘elect’ pope in their own ‘conclave’

Baltimore-area Catholics pray for new pope, express excitement for his leadership

Trump, U.S political leaders congratulate Pope Leo XIV: ‘A great honor for our country’

Pope Leo XIV: Peacemaker and openness in an historic name

Who was Pope Leo XIII, the father of social doctrine?

Copyright © 2025 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Cindy Wooden

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

  • Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary

  • Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

  • Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

  • Archbishop Wenski leads Knights on Bikes to pray rosary at Alligator Alcatraz

| Latest Local News |

Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

Third annual gun buyback scheduled for Aug. 9

Driver arrested after crashing into entrance of Esperanza Center

Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

| Latest World News |

Jubilee of Youth chance to celebrate hope, fraternity in world at war, panel says

New York archdiocese sees hundreds of responses to ‘Called By Name’ program

Can’t afford a Catholic college? Think again. Many offer full tuition options

Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary

LA archbishop, joined by business leaders, starts fund to help families affected by ICE raids

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Jubilee of Youth chance to celebrate hope, fraternity in world at war, panel says
  • New York archdiocese sees hundreds of responses to ‘Called By Name’ program
  • Can’t afford a Catholic college? Think again. Many offer full tuition options
  • Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary
  • LA archbishop, joined by business leaders, starts fund to help families affected by ICE raids
  • FBI surveilled SSPX priest amid probe of suspected neo-Nazi’s plans for violence
  • Poland’s ‘living memorial’ to St. John Paul II marks 25 years of transforming lives
  • Our faith is not afraid of questions
  • Catholic ‘American Ninja Warrior’ fights world hunger, one obstacle at a time

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en