Sede vacante(lit. 'with the chair [being] vacant'inLatin)[a]refers, in theCanon Lawof theCatholic Church,to the state during which adioceseorarchdioceseis without aprelateinstalled in office,with the prelate's office being thecathedral(some are also used as a place of residence if the prelate lives within the cathedral compound). The term is used frequently in reference to papal vacancies occurring upon thePope's death orresignation.
History
editEarly in church history, thearchpriest,archdeacon,and "primiceriusof the notaries "[clarification needed]in the papal court made a regency council which governed thesede vacanteperiod.[2]
It was the obligation of theCamerarius(papal chamberlain), the head of theCamera Apostolica,to formally establish the death of the pope. Gradually, this led to the theory that the Camerarius, as the chief of the curia, should conduct normal business even after the death of the pope, and also conduct the burial and the preparation for the new election. This process was evident with CamerariusBoso Breakspeare.[3]During the longsede vacanteof 1268 to 1271, the importance of the Camerarius was so clear that the Cardinals prepared to elect a new one if he died.[3]
Vacancy of the Holy See
editAfter thedeathorresignationof apope,theHoly Seeenters a period ofsede vacante.In this case the particular church is theDiocese of Romeand the "vacant seat" is thecathedraofSaint John Lateran,the cathedral church of theBishop of Rome.During this period, the Holy See is administered by aregencyof theCollege of Cardinals.
According toUniversi Dominici gregis,the government of theHoly Seeand the administration of the Catholic Church during sede vacante falls to theCollege of Cardinals,but in a very limited capacity. At the same time, all the heads of the departments of theRoman Curia"cease to exercise" their offices. The exceptions are theCardinal Camerlengo,who is charged with managing the property of the Holy See, and theMajor Penitentiary,who continues to exercise his normal role. If either has to do something which normally requires the assent of the Pope, he has to submit it to the College of Cardinals.Papal legatescontinue to exercise their diplomatic roles overseas, and both theVicar General of Romeand theVicar General for the Vatican City Statecontinue to exercise their pastoral role during this period. Thepostal administration of theVatican City Stateprepares and issues special postage stamps for use during this particular period, known as "sede vacantestamps ".
Thecoat of armsof the Holy See also changes during this period. Thepapal tiaraover thekeysis replaced with theumbraculum,orombrellinoinItalian.This symbolizes both the lack of a Pope and the governance of the Camerlengo over thetemporalitiesof the Holy See. As further indication, the Camerlengo ornaments hisarmswith this symbol during this period, which he subsequently removes once a pope is elected. Previously during this period the arms of the Camerlengo appeared on commemorativeVatican liracoinage. It now makes its appearance onVatican euro coins,which are legal tender in allEurozonestates.
Theinterregnumis usually highlighted by thefuneralMassof the deceased pope, the general congregations of the College of Cardinals for determining the particulars of the election, and finally culminates in thepapal conclaveto elect a successor. Once a newpopehas been elected (andordainedbishop if necessary) thesede vacanteperiod officially ends, even before thepapal inauguration.
Cardinalspresent in Rome are required to wait at least fifteen days after the start of the vacancy before they hold the conclave to elect the new Pope. After twenty days have elapsed, they must hold the conclave, even if some cardinals are missing. The period from the death of the Pope to the start of the conclave was often shorter but, afterWilliam Henry Cardinal O'Connellhad arrived just too late for two conclaves in a row,Pius XIextended the time limit. With the next conclave in 1939, cardinals began to travel by air. Days before his resignation in February 2013,Benedict XVIamended the rules to allow the cardinals to begin the conclave sooner, if all voting cardinals are present.[4]Historically,sede vacanteperiods have often been quite lengthy, lasting many months, or even years, due to lengthy deadlocked conclaves.
The most recent period ofsede vacanteof the Holy See began on 28 February 2013, after the resignation of Benedict XVI,[5]and ended on 13 March 2013 with the election of Pope Francis, a period of 13 days.
The longest period without a Pope in the last 250 years was the approximately half year from the death in prison ofPius VIin 1799 and the election ofPius VIIin Venice in 1800.
Extendedsede vacanteperiods
editWhilst conclaves and papal elections are generally completed in short order, there have been several periods when the papal chair has been vacant for months or even years.
The following table detailssede vacanteperiods in excess of a year:
| Preceding Pope | Subsequent Pope | Beginning | Ending | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clement IV | Gregory X | 29 November 1268 | 1 September 1271 | 2 years 10 months |
| Nicholas IV | Celestine V | 4 April 1292 | 5 July 1294 | 2 years 3 months |
| Clement V | John XXII | 20 April 1314 | 2 August 1316 | 2 years 3 months |
| Gregory XII | Martin V | 4 July 1415 | 11 November 1417 | 2 years 5 months |
Sede vacanteperiods since 1799
edit| Preceding Pope | Subsequent Pope | Beginning | Ending | Duration[6] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pius VI | Pius VII | 29 August 1799 | 14 March 1800 | 197 days |
| Pius VII | Leo XII | 20 August 1823 | 28 September 1823 | 39 days |
| Leo XII | Pius VIII | 10 February 1829 | 31 March 1829 | 49 days |
| Pius VIII | Gregory XVI | 30 November 1830 | 2 February 1831 | 63 days |
| Gregory XVI | Pius IX | 1 June 1846 | 16 June 1846 | 15 days |
| Pius IX | Leo XIII | 7 February 1878 | 20 February 1878 | 13 days |
| Leo XIII | Pius X | 20 July 1903 | 4 August 1903 | 15 days |
| Pius X | Benedict XV | 20 August 1914 | 3 September 1914 | 14 days |
| Benedict XV | Pius XI | 22 January 1922 | 6 February 1922 | 15 days |
| Pius XI | Pius XII | 10 February 1939 | 2 March 1939 | 20 days |
| Pius XII | John XXIII | 9 October 1958 | 28 October 1958 | 19 days |
| John XXIII | Paul VI | 3 June 1963 | 21 June 1963 | 18 days |
| Paul VI | John Paul I | 6 August 1978 | 26 August 1978 | 20 days |
| John Paul I | John Paul II | 28 September 1978 | 16 October 1978 | 18 days |
| John Paul II | Benedict XVI | 2 April 2005 | 19 April 2005 | 17 days |
| Benedict XVI | Francis | 28 February 2013 | 13 March 2013 | 13 days |
Catholic dioceses and archdioceses
editThe termsede vacantecan be applied to Catholic dioceses, archdioceses, andeparchiesoutside of Rome. In such cases, this means that the particular diocesanbishoporarchbishophas either died, resigned, been transferred to a different diocese or archdiocese, or lost his office and a successor has not yet beeninstalled or assumed office.If there is acoadjutor bishopfor the (arch)diocese, then this period does not take place, as the coadjutor bishop or archbishop immediately succeeds to theepiscopal see.
Within eight days after the episcopal see is known to be vacant, the college ofconsultors(or thecathedral chapterin some countries)[7]is obliged to elect adiocesan or archdiocesan administrator.[8]The administrator they choose must be a/an priest or (arch)bishop who is at least 35 years old.[9]
If the college of consultors fails to elect a qualifying person within the time allotted, the choice of an administrator passes to themetropolitan archbishopor, if the metropolitan see is vacant, to the senior-most by appointment of thesuffragan bishops.Thepopecan also decide to name an administrator himself to a diocese or archdiocese instead of waiting for the college of consultors of a particular (arch)diocese, metropolitan archbishop or the senior-most by appointment of the bishops within the ecclesiastical province to appoint a/an (arch)diocesan administrator where it is then called asapostolic administrator.Usually, the emeritus (arch)bishop will be appointed in such a case. If the appointed apostolic administrator is a diocesan bishop or archbishop of a diocese or archdiocese, then he governs two (arch)dioceses which are his own and the vacant one, with the latter being temporarily while a successor of a vacant (arch)diocese is not yet installed or assumed office.[10]
Before the election of the administrator of a vacant see, the governance of the see is entrusted, with the powers of avicar general,to theauxiliary bishop,if there is one, or to the senior among them, if there are several, otherwise to the college of consultors as a whole. The administrator has greater powers, essentially those of a bishop or archbishop except for matters excepted by the nature of the matter or expressly by law.[11]Canon law subjects his activity to various legal restrictions and to special supervision by the college of consultors (as for example canons 272 and 485).
Vicars generaland episcopal vicars lose their powerssede vacanteif they are not bishops or archbishops;[12]the vicars that are themselves having both positions retain the powers they had before the see fell vacant, which they are to exercise under the authority of the administrator.[13]However, vicar generals retain their duties and responsibilities of the office—specifically during sede vacante serving as right-hand to the(arch)diocesanorapostolic administratorto establish continuity—until the succeeding (arch)bishop is installed or assumes office on a/an (arch)diocese.
Acoat of armsof the last bishop or archbishop of a diocese or archdiocese, either the arms of a transferred, retired or died previous (arch)bishop or the one as (arch)bishop of a transferred (arch)diocese, may also be used during sede vacante period to indicate and establish continuity while awaiting for the installation of a successor. Once a successor is installed or assumed office which ends the sede vacante period, the coat of arms of a new (arch)bishop will then be used by the (arch)diocese and discontinuing the usage of the predecessor's arms.
The name of a bishop or an archbishop is not mentioned in the Eucharistic Prayer while a successor is not yet installed or assumed office where after mentioning thePope,the celebrant will either immediately mention the statement "and all the clergy" skipping the name of a/an (arch)bishop or generally stating all the (arch)bishops as "the Order of Bishops". If a locally-appointed (arch)diocesan administrator or anapostolic administratoris a/an (arch)bishop, however, the name of an administrator is mentioned ( "our Administrator", or simply as "our (Arch)bishop" ) as if a/an (arch)diocese have a prelate installed in office.
Additionally, the administrator cannot use thecathedraeven if he is a bishop or an archbishop as it symbolizes the office of a full-time or mainstay prelate and the former only serves as the temporary head of a/an (arch)diocese while a successor is not yet installed into office therefore he can only use the chair reserved for the main celebrant of a mass.
Other uses
editThe term has been adopted insedevacantism,an extreme[14][15][16]strand of theCatholic traditionalistmovement. Sedevacantists believe that all popes since theSecond Vatican Councilhave beenheretics,and that therefore thesee of Romeis vacant.
See also
edit
Notes
edit- ^Anablative absoluteconstruction; the phrase in thenominative caseissedes vacans.The term in‹See Tfd›Greek:εν χηρεία,translit.en khēreia,lit."in widowhood".[1]
References
edit- ^"Κρήτη: Εν χηρεία η θέση του Αρχιεπισκόπου - Ξεκινά η διαδικασία διαδοχής"[The See of the Archbishop in widowhood: the succession process begins] (in Greek). parapolitica.gr 98.1 FM. 12 March 2021.Retrieved1 February2022.
- ^Noble, Thomas F. X. (1984).The Republic of St. Peter: the birth of the Papal State, 680-825.Philadelphia. p. 207.ISBN0-8122-7917-4.OCLC10100806.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^abVisceglia, Maria Antonietta (1 January 2011).The Pope's Household And Court In The Early Modern Age.Brill.ISBN978-90-04-20623-6.
- ^"Motu proprioNormas nonnullas".Vatican.va.Retrieved11 May2013.
- ^"Declaration of Resignation, News.va, 11 Feb 2013".News.va. Archived fromthe originalon 11 August 2013.Retrieved11 May2013.
- ^As is usual in English, in canon law also (Code of Canon Law, canon 203), the initial day is not counted in calculating the length of a period, unless the period began with the beginning of the day.
- ^SeeCodex Iuris CanoniciCanon 502 § 3 (noting that an episcopal conference can transfer the functions of the consultors to the cathedral chapter).
- ^"Code of Canon Law, canon 421 §1".Intratext. 4 May 2007.Retrieved11 May2013.
- ^Code of Canon Law, canon 425 §1.The word used (sacerdos) applies also to a/an (arch)bishop, not just a priest.
- ^"Code of Canon Law, canons 421 §2 and 425 §3".Intratext. 4 May 2007.Retrieved11 May2013.
- ^"Code of Canon Law, canons 426-427".Intratext. 4 May 2007.Retrieved11 May2013.
- ^Codex Iuris Canonici Canon 481 § 1.
- ^Codex Iuris Canonici Canon 409 § 2.
- ^Eugene V. Gallagher, W. Michael Ashcraft (editors),Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America(Greenwood Publishing Group 2006ISBN978-0-31305078-7), p. 16
- ^William J. Collinge,Historical Dictionary of Catholicism(Scarecrow Press 2012ISBN978-0-81085755-1), p. 434
- ^Mary Jo Weaver, R. Scott Appleby (editors),Being Right: Conservative Catholics in America(Indiana University Press 1995ISBN978-0-25332922-6), p. 257
External links
edit