Vacantis Apostolicae Sedis
Translation of Some Sections
De potestate S. Collegii Cardinalium, Sede Apostolica vacante
1. Sedis Apostolicae vacatione durante, Sacrum Collegium Cardinalium in iis, quae ad Pontificem Maximum dum viveret pertinebant, nullam omnino potestatem aut iurisdictionem habeat, neque gratiam, neque iustitiam faciendi, aut factam per Pontificem mortuum executioni demandandi; sed ea omnia futuro Pontifici reservare teneatur. (1) Itaque irritum et inane esse decernimus quidquid potestatis aut iurisdictionis ad Romanum, dum vivit, Pontificum pertinentis (nisi quatenus in hac Nostra Constitutione expresse permittatur) coetus ipse Cardinalium duxerit (eadem vacante Ecclesia) exercendum. (2)
2. Item praecipimus, ne S. Cardinalium Collegium de iuribus Sedis Apostolicae Romanaeque Ecclesiae quomodolibet disponere valeat, acque in quopiam iuribus eiusdem sive directe detrahere attentet, sive indirecte per conniventiae speciem, seu per dissimulationem facinorum adversus eadem iura, etiam posi obitum Pontificis seu vacationis tempore, perpetratorum, attentare videatur; immo volumus ut omnium virium contentione eadem custodire et defendere debeat. (3)
3. Leges a Romanis Pontificibus latae, per coetum Cardinalium Romanae Ecclesiae, ipsa vacante, corrigi, vel immutati nullo modo possunt, nec quicquam eis detrahi sive addi, vel dispensari quomodolibet circa ipsas seu aliquam earum partem. Quod potissimum valet de Constitutionibus pontificiis, ad ordinandum negotium electionis Romani Pontificis latis. (4) Immo si quid contra hoc praescriptum fieri vel attentari forte contigerit, ipsum Suprema Nostra auctoritate nullum et irritum declaramus.
4. Si quae tamen dubia exoriantur circa sensum praescriptionum, quae hac Nostra Constitutione continentur, vel etiam circa rationem, iuxta quam ad usum ea traduci debeat, sive super quovis alio Nostrae huius Constitutionis capite, edicimus ac decernimus unice penes Sacrum Cardinalium Collegio potestatem esse super his ferendi sententiam; quam in rem eidem S. Cardinalium Collegio plenam tribuimus facultatem, qua hanc Nostram Constitutionem interpretari ac dubia declarare valeant. Qua quidem in re, quemadmodum in reliquis, de quibus ad Nostrae huius Constitutionis tramites, excepto ipso electionis actu, deliberari contingat, sai is omnino erit si maior congregatorum Cardinalium pars in eamdem sententiam consentiat. (5)
5. Pariter in casu urgentis negotii, quod, ex voto maioris congregatorum Cardinalium partis, in aliud tempus differri non valeat, S. Collegium, item iuxta maioris partis sententiam, de opportuno remedio disponere potest et debet. (6)
6. Tempore Sedis vacantis duplex habeatur Cardinalium Congregatio, altera generalis, sive totius Collegii, altera particularis, constans tribus Cardinalibus antiquioribus, uno ex quoque Ordine, cum S. R. E. Camerario, quorum officum tertia die post Conclavis ingressum omnino exspirat, in eorumque locum tres alii sequentes in Ordine quolibet tertio die una cum eodem Camerario succedunt. (7)
7. Volumus ut in dictis Congregationibus particularibus, quae sive ante, sive post coeptum Conclave haberi poterunt, levioris dumtaxat momenti, ac in dies seu passim occurrentia negotia expediantur. Si quid vero gravioris momenti atque indaginis fuerit, id omne ad Congregationem generalem, seu ad S. Collegium Cardinalium deferatur. Ac ulterius, quae in una Congregatione particulari decreta, resoIuta, vel denegata fuerint, in aha revocari, mutari, aut concedi nequeant, sed id faeiendi ius habeat ipsa tantum Congregatio generalis per pluralitatem suffragiorum. (8)
8. Cardinalium Congregationes generales in Aedibus Apostolicis Vaticanis habeantur, vel, si rerum adiuncta id postulent, in alio opportuniori loco, iudicio ipsorum Cardinalium, eisque praesit Cardinalis S. Collegii Decanus, vel, ipso impedito, Subdecanus.
9. Suffragia in Cardinalium Congregationibus, cum de rebus gravioris momenti agatur, non ore, sed secretis calculis dentur.
10. Inter generales Congregationes singulari mentione dignae sunt quae ante ingressum in Conclave habentur, eaedemque Congregationes praeparatoriae appellari possunt.
32. Ius eligendi Romanum Pontificem ad S. R. E. Cardinales unice et privative pertinet, excluso prorsus atque remoto quolibet cuiuspiam alterius Ecclcsiasticae dignitatis, aut laicae potestatis cuiuslibet gradus et ordinis interventu.
34. Nullus Cardinalium, cuiuslibet excommunicationis, suspensionis, interdicti aut alius ecclesiastici impedimenti praetextu vel causa a Summi Pontificis eleetione attiva et passiva exeludi ullo modo potest; quas quidem censuras ad effetram huiusmodi electionis tarituro, illis alias in suo robore permansuris, suspendlnlus. (3)
36. Cardinales canonice depositi, vel qui dignitati cardinalitiae, consentiente Romano Pontifice, renuntiaverunt, nullum ius ad eleetionem habent h Immo, Sede vacante, nec potest S. Collegium restituere et habilitare Cardinales per Papam privatos seu depositos, ne ad vocem quidem. (5)
92. Simoniae crimen, tamo divino quam humano iure detestabile, in electione Romani Pontificis omnino sicut reprobatum esse constat, ita et Nos reprobamus atque damnamus, (41) huiusque criminis reos poena excommunicationis latae sententiae innodamus; sublata tamen irritatione electionis simoniacae, quam Deus avertat, a Iulio II (vel alio qualicumque decreto pontificio) statuta, ut praetextus amputetur impugnandi valorem electioms Romani Pontificis.
94. Quae autem a Praedecessoribus Nostris et praesertim a Pio X (43) de civili Veto seu Exclusiva, uti vocant, in electione Summi Pontificis edicta et sancita fuerunt, ut omni externo interventu remoto, plenae libertati in Summo Pastore eligendo consulatur, ea omnia, hic omni ex parte atque integre renovantes, confirmata esse volumus. Quamobrem itermn in virtute sanctae oboedientiae, sub interminatione divini iudicii et poena excommunicationis latae sententiae, omnes et singulos S. R. E. Cardinales, tam praesentes quam futuros, pariterque Secretarium S. Collegii Cardinalium aliosque omnes in Conclavi partem habentes, prohibemus ne, quovis praetextu, a quavis civili potestate munus recipiant Veto sive Exclusivam, etiam sub forma simplicis desiderii, proponeridi, ipsumve hoc Veto, qualibet ratione sibi cognitum, patefaciant sive universo Cardinalium Collegio simul congregato, sive singulis purpuratis Patribus, sive scripto, sive ore, sive directe ac proxime, sive oblique ac per alios, sive ante Conclave sive ipso perdurante. Qnam prohibitionem extendi volumus ad omnes interventus, intercessiones aliosque modos quoslibet, quibus laicae potestates cuiuslibet gradus et ordinis voluerint sese in Pontificis electione immiscere.
107. Quod si electus nondum sit Presbyter vel Episcopus, a Decano S. Collegii Cardinalium, qui tunc pallio utitur, ordinabitur et consecrabitur: (53) quod privilegium, absente Cardinali Decano, competit Subdecano, eoque etiam absente, antiquiori Cardinali Episcopo suburbicario. (54)
Note this document now consists of more than one translation as new material is discovered in other locations.
Title I: Concerning the Vacant Apostolic Seat
Chapter I: Concerning the power of the Sacred College of Cardinals, with the
Apostolic Seat being vacant.
1. While the Apostolic Seat is vacant, let the Sacred College of Cardinals have no power or jurisdiction at all in those things which pertain to the Pope while he was alive, nor grace or justice of doing or of demanding what favor or right was granted through the execution of the deceased Pope, but let everything be held, reserved for the future Pope. And thus we decree that whatever power or jurisdiction pertaining to the Roman Pontiff, while he is alive (unless in as far as it is expressly permitted in this, Our Constitution) the meeting of Cardinals itself may have taken for exercising, is null and void.
2. Likewise, We order that the Sacred College of Cardinals is not able to dispose of the laws of the Apostolic Seat and the Roman Church in any manner it wishes, nor may it attempt to detract wheresoever from the laws of the same either directly or indirectly through a species of connivance, or through dissimulation of crimes, against the same laws, either after the death of the Pontiff or in time of vacancy, may it seem to attempt; indeed We will that it ought to guard and defend against the same contention of all men.
3. Laws given by Roman Pontiffs are in no way able to be corrected or changed through the meeting of the Cardinals of the Roman Church, the See being vacant; nor is anything able to be taken away or added, nor is there able to be made any dispensation in any manner concerning the laws themselves or some part of them, a thing which is very evident from pontifical Constitutions for ordaining the business of the election of the Roman Pontiff. But if anything contrary to this prescript occurs or is by chance attempted, We declare it by Our Supreme Authority to be null and void.
4. If anything doubtful arises concerning the sense of the prescription, which are contained in Our Constitutions, or even about the reason according to which it ought to be put into use, or about any other chapter of this Our Constitution, We state and decree that only with the Sacred College of Cardinals is there power of bringing sentence concerning these things; for which thing We grant the Sacred College of Cardinals full faculty, by which they are able to interpret this Our Constitution and clarify doubtful points. Indeed, in this thing, as in the rest, concerning which for the paths of this Our Constitution, with the act of election itself excepted, it happens to be deliberated, it is altogether sufficient if the greater part of the Congregation of Cardinals agrees in the same opinion.
5. Likewise, in the case of urgent business, whatever, from the will of the greater part of the Congregation of Cardinals, is not able to be deferred until another time, the Sacred College is able to and ought to dispose of according to an opportune remedy, likewise according to the opinion of the greater parts.
Chapter II: Concerning the Congregations of Cardinals
6. At the time of the vacant seat, let there be held a double Congregation of Cardinals, one general, or of the whole College, and the other particular, made up of three older Cardinals, one from each Order with S.R.E. Camerario, whose office expires totally on the third day after entering into the Conclave, and in whose place three others following in Order succeed on the third day with the same Camerlengo.
7. We wish that in the mentioned particular Congregations, which will be able to be held either before or after the beginning of the Conclave, current business be taken care of (business) of a lighter importance, either daily or at random. If anything of more serious moment or investigation happens, let it all be brought to the general Congregation, or to the Sacred College of Cardinals. And further, whatever has been decreed, resolved or denied in one particular Congregation, is unable to be revoked, changed, or conceded in another, but let only the general Congregation itself have the right of doing anything, through plurality of votes.
8. Let the general Congregations of Cardinals be held in the buildings of the Vatican, or if prevailing conditions demand, in another more opportune place, by the judgment of the Cardinals themselves, and let the Cardinal Dean of the Sacred College be in charge, or, if he is impeded, the Subdean.
9. Let the votes in the Congregation of Cardinals, when something of a more serious matter is being discussed, be given secretly, not orally.
10. Among general Congregations, they are worthy of singular mention which are able to be called preparatory Congregations, which are held before the entrance into Conclave.
32. The right of electing the Roman Pontiff belongs only to the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, any intervention on the part of any other ecclesiastical dignity or to any lay power of whatever rank or order being entirely excluded and ruled out.
34. None of the Cardinals, by pretext or cause of the Supreme Pontiff of any excommunication, suspension, interdict, or other ecclesiastical impediment, is able in any manner to be excluded from active and passive election; with them (the censures) remaining of their own strength in other cases.
35. Cardinals canonically deposed, or who renounce the dignity of the cardinalate, with the consent of the Roman Pontiff, have no right to the election. With the Seat being vacant, the Sacred College is not able to restore or rehabititate Cardinals who have been deprived or deposed by the Pope, not even "ad vocem" for voice, for the opportunity of speaking.
92. The crime of Simony, detestable by divine as well as by human law, is known to have been altogether reprobated in the election of the Roman Pontiff, and thus We reprove and condemn it, and We approve of the penalty of Latae Sententiae excommunication for those guilty of this crime; nevertheless, with the nullity of a simonical papal election having been lifted (which thing may God avert), decided by Julius II (or by any other pontifical decree), so that the pretext of impugning the election of the Roman Pontiff be taken away.
94. The idea is: The possibility of a civil government vetoing a papal election is still taken away, as it was by Pius X in 1904.
107. If the one elected is not yet a priest or a bishop, he will be ordained and consecrated by the Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, who then uses a pallium. If the Cardinal Deacon is absent, this privilege falls to the Subdean; if he is absent, to the older Cardinal Bishop.
