First non-Italian pope in 455 years!

Kampala- It was 37 years ago, October 16, 1978 in Rome when a Polish cardinal, Karol Josef Wojtyla, was elected the 263rd successor to St Peter.becoming the first non-Italian pope in 455 years.

Today, as Ugandans prepare for the historic visit of Pope Francis, we take you back to what transpired.
It is possible that John Paul II’s historic election probably might have opened the door for two more non-Italian popes in almost five centuries, Pope Benedict XVI (2005-2013) and the now Pope Francis.

How he won
Pope John Paul I (Albino cardinal Luciano) reigned for 35 days, passed on and was burried on October 4, 1978. After nine days of mourning and quite a bit of questioning (popes had traditionally died after many years in office) a conclave began on October 14, 1978.

According to reports compiled from several media, the campaign that led to Pope John Paul II’s election started and equally gained backing from among some German and American cardinals led by Philadelphia’s Polish-American, John Krol.

This was partly because of Cardinal Wojtyla’s familiarity with their nations and partly because of the Polish’s doctrinal conservatism and anti-communism.

The original impetus came from a more liberal nucleus of European cardinals rallied by Austria’s Franz Konig, who stressed Wojtyla’s commitment to the Second Vatican Council’s reforms.

All the same, most cardinals had entered the conclave expecting to elect another Italian for both domestic and international continuity. Cardinal Wojtyla himself was said to be backing Florence Archdiocese’s powerful Giovanni cardinal Benelli.

That Sunday, the first day of voting came to be known as “Italian day.” The lead candidates were two Italian Cardinals: GiovanniBenelli, 57, who for a decade had virtually run the Vatican as substitute secretary of state and Genoa’s ultra conservative Giuseppe Siri, 72.

After Sunday’s first ballot had been completed, Cardinal Siri showed his strength among curialists and other conservatives, gathering 46 of the necessary 76 votes on the second ballot. Benelli came second.

After the lunch and siesta breaks, cardinal Siri slipped. Cardinal Benelli gained but never reached more than 36. Ugo Poletti, Vicar cardinal of Rome got 30 votes as an unsuccessful compromise candidate.
It was becoming clear the curia-conservative alliance wouldn’t accept Benelli, who had alienated them with his power-wielding at the Vatican.

A deadlock threatened and as the cardinals broke for Sunday night dinner, talk turned to non-Italians . The germ of Wojtyla’s candidacy began overnight with a word here and word there.

On Monday morning’s fifth ballot, Wojtyla got only a few votes , but they captured attention. Holland’s cardinal Johannes Willebrands drew a respectable vote but decided to withdraw in Wojtyla’s favour.

Cardinal Wojtyla gained noticeably on the sixth ballot. On the seventh ballot only 25 Italian cardinals stopped his election.

Then the dam broke and virtually all but ultraconservatives swung to the Pole. On the eighth and final ballot, according to most inside counts, he won a comfortable 94 votes from all but the hard-line right and a scattering of others. The conclave erupted in applause. Some say that the Pole asked for a repeat of election when he was voted in, saying that circumstances may have influenced his election.

The realisation was beginning to sink in that the college of cardinals had done not merely the unexpected, but nearly unthinkable. Karol Wojtyla, the first pope from Eastern Europe. The first from Poland, a nation whose fervour for Roman Catholicism had been unsurpassed for a millennium.

The first non-Italian pope elected since 1522 and thus in a real sense, the first international pope to lead a global church, And in the wake of his frail predecessor, the youngest pope chosen since 1846.

The last under-60 pope , Pius IX reigned for 32 years. At the age of 58, Wojtyla’s robust and muscular frame made it possible that he could lead his faith into the 21st century. Plainly the cardinals had opted for a long pontificate. Cardinal Wojtyla himself had not expected it at all. On the day the conclave began, he had told an Italian press photographer not to waste his time and film taking his snap, saying there was not even slight chance that he would become a pope.

The white smoke
The white smoke was still billowing from the makeshift Sistine Chapel chimney when Pericle Cardinal Felici stepped out on the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.

More than 100,000 people waited expectantly below the balcony. “I announce to you news of great joy,” Felici intoned in sonorous Latin. “We have a pope!” The crowd roared, then hushed to hear the name.

Savouring the suspense, Felici drew out the announcement and syllables of the name. “Ca-rolum....” Some in the crowd gasped. They thought he meant Carlo Confalonieri, the 85-year-old Dean of the College of Cardinals. “They have gone crazy,” cried one of the priests.

Thoroughly enjoying himself, Cardinal Felici went on: “...Cardinal Woj-ty-la.” The crowd froze. Who is he? Italians asked one another. Possibly an African?

A group of Japanese tourists thought it might be one of their countrymen, though there were no Japanese cardinals at the time.
An Italian TV announcer uncertainly said, “Polacco (the Pole) and many viewers thought he had said “Poletti”, the name of Rome’s Vicar General.

Then it seemed to hit everyone at once. “E il Polacco” It’s the Pole, murmured some. “Un papa straniero” a foreign pope, shouted others. The realisation was beginning to sink in that the College of Cardinals had done not merely the unexpected but the nearly unthinkable.

The white smoke that heralded his election also signalled a row and unpredictable phase in religious geopolitics, for Wojtyla was the first pope to come from a nation under communist rule.

Because of the implications for relations not only with Moscow but also with the powerful Italian Communist country, few observers had thought that the normally cautious cardinals would turn to a communist country if they wanted to go outside Italy for a pope.

John Paul realised that with all these forces unleashed, his first public appearance as pope demanded more than the traditional first urbi et orbit (to the city of Rome and the world) blessing. He broke precedent by delivering a brief speech as crowds roared. “Blessed be Jesus Christ,” he begun in his firm, resonant baritone voice. It was a traditional Italian priestly salutation, rarely heard in recent years.

“May He always be blessed,” the crowd replied. “Even if Iam not sure that I can express myself in your, our Italian language (applause) you will correct me if I make a mistake.” In fact his slightly accented Italian was so polished that his remark was more a gesture than a apology. The impromptu speech went over well. “Why shouldn’t we have a foreign pope?”asked a Rome cabbie,” After all, St. Peter was one.”

The three roles of the pope

The pope has three main function. He is the Bishop of Rome, Pastor of the Universal Church, and Head of State of the City of Vatican.

Bishop of Rome : (Roman Pontiff)
Christ has entrusted His church to the Apostles. He designated St Peter to be the first of the Apostles, the principle of unity.

St Peter was bishop of Rome and there he died. Because of his death in Rome, any successor of St. Peter as Bishop of Rome, has the main task to be the principle of unity of the church.

As Bishop of Rome, the Pope has a vicar, who is a cardinal and helps him in administering this diocese. For instance, John Paul II visited almost all the parishes in his diocese of Rome during his reign.

Pastor of the Universal Church
The pope is also the head of the college of the bishops and it is in communion with him that all the bishops throughout the world rule the Catholic church.

As pastor of the universal church, the pope is helped by many institutions in Rome (They are like ministries). It’s only the pope that call the bishops for a council (meeting of bishops from the whole world or a synod (meeting of bishops from a specific area to discuss a special matter.

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