Papal death rituals...

[Antaine]

Interesting. I saw a news clip yesterday of some cardinal, during the funeral procession, swing something like a hammer three times in the air (perhaps it was incense) over the head of the pope as he was being carried through the street. I think there must be all kinds of rituals, based mostly on superstitions of the ancient past.

I also heard one about the white smoke and black smoke that rises from the vatican chimney. Has to do with when a new pope is chosen or something like that.

yeas (forgive me for posting all over the place but I love this stuff)

in the days before modern doctors it was very easy to bury people alive, and taking steps to elect a new pope while the other one is still alive can cause *major* problems. I don't think they do the hammer anymore, but they do the name thing.

I believe what you saw him swinging was not a hammer but the aspergillum, which is a thing that's dipped into holy water and used to sprinkle the parishioners, the coffin, the pope's body - whatever you want to bless. It's specially designed to catch a bit of water, but minimize dripping so the water can be 'flung'

the cardinals will take two votes a day by writing the name of the guy they want on paper. after each vote the papers are burned. if the vote fails to elect a pope, the papers are mixed with wet hay, producing black smoke. the successful vote is burned without the hay, producing white smoke. This was a signal that, during a time of lower archetecture, could be seen throughout the city so that people could begin to gather for the announcement and presentation of the new pope "urbi et orbis" (to the city and the world)

[Geraint]

In addition to the white smoke, I gather that this time they will ring bells to announce that a new Pope has been elected.

I think that this is the first time they've done this, or at least the first time for a long while.

[Antaine]

I dunno. I'm sure after the announcement (the smoke is before) every Catholic church in the world will be ringing its bells.

-just a hunch...

[Nanohedron]

I googled Ian Paisley to see what he had to say. He said that Catholics were "entitled" to mourn the Pope. Nice to know that he was gracious enough to give his permission. :roll:

[Antaine]

I feel so much better about it now :roll:

[TelegramSam]

Wouldn't it be easier just to check for a pulse? :roll:

[OnTheMoor]

The hammer is no longer used, a doctor does all the usual things to check for life.

That Paisley is such a nice fellow.

[Nanohedron]

Three businesses in a row, here: one with flag at full staff, one at half-staff, and one with no flag flying at all.

[Antaine]

Three businesses in a row, here: one with flag at full staff, one at half-staff, and one with no flag flying at all.

sounds like my cell phone reception |l'˙

[Kansas]

My stepson came home the other night and told us that when a pope dies, someone first hollers his name three times to make sure he's not just sleeping. Then, they tap on his head three times with a hammer, supposedly hard enough to leave an imprint of the papal seal on his forehead. His ring bearing his papal seal is then destroyed so it can't be used again.

The "ritual" of tapping the dead holy father's forehead with a silver hammer was reportedly developed after a Pope was accidently declared dead while he was just in a coma, and then came back awake. I'm sure this was several hundred years ago when medical knowledge was sparse to say the least. I'm not sure the term "holler" is accurate. I believe it was saying "Holy Father are you alive?" while tapping the forehead three times was the actual practice.

A reference to this practice can be found in the novel "The Final Conclave" written by the late Father Malachi Martin. He had been a Jesuit, but left the order after becoming somewhat dililusioned with the politics of the Jesuits. He was dispensed from his vows to the Jesuits and allowed to continue priesthood by Paul VI according to what I have read. He was assigned by Paul to report directly to the Pope or Roman Curia designate of the Pope.He was active in the Vatican and considered an "insider" by many. He was a close confidant of John XXXIII.
He wrote several books that were novels but thought to be based very closely on fact about the Church and the intrigue of the Vatican etc. He also wrote "The Jesuits" which is not real complimentary of the politics of the order.

In his book Final Conclave -- the first part written mostly on fact to the election and death of John Paul I, he lists some Cardinals that "could" be the successor. He mentions a Cardinal Karol Wojtyla from Poland few in the west had ever heard about. Pretty prophetic huh? The last part of the novel discusses the politics of election and the possibility of the death of John Paul I being murder?

Excellent book if you can find it on Amazon or ebay - out of print. I need to find my copy and re-read it!

[Redwolf]

The calling of the name (and it's always the baptismal name, not the papal name...I guess they figure that a deathly ill man is more likely to respond to the name he was called as a child) and the tapping on the forehead stems from a time when people really worried about being buried alive. It's more tradition than anything else, anymore. In fact, the hammer bit is not required, and I seem to remember reading that the chamberlain did not, in fact, do it, though he did call "Karol!" three times.

Redwolf

[Kansas]

and I seem to remember reading that the chamberlain did not, in fact, do it, though he did call "Karol!" three times.
Redwolf

I heard the same thing last week - which made me remember the account in Fr. Martins book.