Vatican City, 12th April
2005 (CNA)
- As cardinals from around the globe prepare
to enter the Sistine Chapel on Monday to elect a
new shepherd for the Catholic Church, the Vatican
is asking faithful worldwide to unite themselves
in prayer to the historic event.
"The entire Church,” read a note from the
Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme
Pontiff, “spiritually united with Mary Mother of
Jesus, and called to persevere unanimously in
prayer following the example of the first
Christian community, lifts humble and insistent
prayers to the Lord, that He may illuminate the
minds of the electors and bring them to agreement,
in order to obtain a prompt and unanimous election
of the new Pope."
In the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m. on
Monday, April 18, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, dean
of the College of Cardinals, will preside at a
Mass "for the election of the Roman Pontiff,"
which will be concelebrated by the other cardinal
electors.
The statement from the Office of Liturgical
Celebrations stated that, "in order to show
communion in prayer on the part of the entire
Church at such an important moment, cardinal
non-electors, bishops, priests, deacons, and
members of institutes of consecrated life and
societies of apostolic life are also earnestly
invited to participate in the celebration, as are
the lay faithful of all God's people present in
Rome."
The cardinals will begin the conclave at
4.30 p.m. on Monday, with an oath for the election
of the new Roman Pontiff--part of the norms laid
down by the "Ordo Rituum Conclavis."
The cardinal electors, who will be preceded
by the Cross, and the Book of the Gospels, will
chant the Litany of the Saints, and enter in
procession from the Hall of Blessings to the
Sistine Chapel where, after singing "Veni
Creator," they will take the oath.
Besides the cardinals who will elect the
new pope, the procession will also include: the
secretary of the conclave, the master of
Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff,
the secretary of the cardinal dean, the
ecclesiastic who will preach the meditation,
masters of ceremonies, the dean, ministrants, and
the "Cappella Musicale
Pontificia."
The Liturgical Office’s statement added
that, at 4 p.m., prior to the actual conclave, the
following people may access the Sistine Chapel:
the substitute of the Secretariat of State, the
secretary for Relations with States, the prefect
of the Pontifical Household, the two religious who
supervise the sacristy, the priests charged with
hearing confessions, and the commander of the
Swiss Guard.
Also present will be, authorized personnel
from the Swiss Guard, healthcare authorities, the
floreria (a Vatican office in charge of
furnishings), photographers, the Vatican newspaper
L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican Television
Center, and the Holy See Press
Office.
