Sunday, April 3 2005 18:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Three cardinals from India would be among the 117 who would cast their votes during the elections for a new papal chief following the death of Pope John Paul II.

The three cardinals are Archbishop Ivan Dias from Mumbai, Varkey Vithayathil from Kochi and Cardinal Toppo from Ranchi, according to Rector of the Goregaon Seminary, an institute for training priest, Father Cleophas Fernandes.

Of the five cardinals in India, two including Cardinal Simon Pimenta from Mumbai, would not be eligible to cast their votes despite their cardinal status, for having crossed the age barrier of 80 years, he said today (Apr 3, 2005).

Usually, the church follows a nine-day mourning after the demise of a Pope, during which the burial is often carried out between the fourth and sixth day, according to general secretary of Catholic Secular Forum Joseph Dias.

"Technically, it is not necessary that the Cardinal elect someone from among them as a Pope. It is also not necessary that an election is held only on the death of a Pope; it can happen even if a Pope resigns. It is also possible that an ordinary person or bishop be made a Pope by the cardinals. But this has not happened so far," he said.

"Fifteen days after his death, the Cardinals would have to gather in Rome. A maximum of 120 cardinals who are below 80 would be entitled to elect the next Pope," he said, quoting a Vatican document, the 'UDG', decreed in 1996.

"The election meeting is called a conclave and the venue would be the Sistine Chapel. Before the election, the cardinals are given a briefing on the problems of the Church and the need for discernment in choosing the successor," Dias said.

The ballot papers are rectangular and absolute secrecy is maintained, with no external contact allowed with any of the cardinals and those assisting in the elections. The next Pope is decided by two-third majority. Two rounds are scheduled each in the morning and afternoon. There are three scrutineer cardinals," he said quoting from the UDG.

Each of the elector cardinals is advised to even disguise his writing and put his choice on the ballot paper. He is then called to the altar and say words to the effect, "I have called as my witness Christ, the Lord and have placed my choice as the Supreme Pontiff." The ballot is then folded and placed in a bowl.

Then the ballots are mixed and taken up for counting by the three cardinal scrutineers. The candidate securing the two-third majority is the next Pope, he added.

Once the Pope is elected, the Cardinal Deacon, who is the oldest cardinal of the group, asks for the elected candidate's acceptance and what name he would like to be called by.

The Cardinal Dean invites the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations and secretary of the College of Cardinals into the room and announces the decision.

The ballot paper and other records are then put into a stove, through which smoke arises. Earlier, wet straw was mixed with a ballot if the Pope was not elected so that when the black smoke arose, it was an indication to watchers outside the venue that the Pope was still not elected and the election would proceed to the next round, he said.