Can an Eastern Rite Patriarch, theoretically, ever become Pope?

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AlexPetrosPio

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This question applies, obviously, only to Eastern Rite Catholic patriarchs in communion with Rome and not to the Eastern Orthodox patriarchs. I’m currious because, though the title is retired, the Bishop of Rome is the Patriarch of the West, but if (let’s use Gregory III Laham, Patriarch of Antioch for example) more qualified to be the Vicor of Christ than any of his western counterparts, could he, in theory, become the next Pope? Or would the (although retired) title of Patriarch of the West prevent him from becoming the next Pope and Bishop of Rome?
 
They certainly could. Of course, this patriarch would have to be a cardinal first.
 
Biedrik said:
They certainly could. Of course, this patriarch would have to be a cardinal first.
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Being a Cardinal is not a requirement to be Pope. Any Catholic man, even a layman, can be elected Pope (though a layman would have to be ordained before becoming Pope). There’s no prohibition on an Eastern Catholic becoming Pope, and by some accounts it almost happened not too long ago with the Armenian Catholic Patriarch, but I don’t remember the exact year. It was in the 60s, IIRC.

Peace and God bless!
 
Technically any Catholic male can become Pope, even a lay, married person can. The chances of that happening though would be akin to the same person winning all the state lotteries in the same week.

The realistic candidates would be the Cardinals. Some of the Patriarchs and Major Archbishops are Cardinals. In the last conclave, it was rumored that Ukrainian Patriarch, His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, who is also a Cardinal, was one of the front runners to the Papacy. So yes, any Eastern Catholic Bishop who is also a Cardinal has a realistic chance to become a Pope.
 
Where is it written that only a Cardinal can become Pope? I was always taught that any Catholic male could be elected Pope, and could he be consecrated Pope after he was first ordained a Priest.
 
George_Stegmeir said:
Where is it written that only a Cardinal can become Pope? I was always taught that any Catholic male could be elected Pope, and could he be consecrated Pope after he was first ordained a Priest.
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Its written somewhere. I’m too lazy to google it now, but it is written somewhere.

If a non-Bishop is elected Pope, then he is to be ordained a Bishop first. A priest cannot be Pope while a priest because the Pope is the Bishop of Rome. So any Pope-elect who’s not yet a Bishop needs to be ordained a Bishop.
 
A married layman can become Pope? I thought he had to be ordained a bishop.
 
Ghosty said:
Being a Cardinal is not a requirement to be Pope. Any Catholic man, even a layman, can be elected Pope (though a layman would have to be ordained before becoming Pope). There’s no prohibition on an Eastern Catholic becoming Pope, and by some accounts it almost happened not too long ago with the Armenian Catholic Patriarch, but I don’t remember the exact year. It was in the 60s, IIRC.

Peace and God bless!
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I’m aware of that, but by now it’s become such common practice to elect a Pope from the college that one can almost call it an unwritten rule. In theory an Eastern patriarch could be chosen without being a cardinal, but what are the odds of that?
 
Elizium23 said:
A married layman can become Pope? I thought he had to be ordained a bishop.
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Well, there is no doctrinal hindrance I believe for a married man becoming a Bishop. The discipline was established by an Ecumenical Council, but its still not dogma that only a celibate may become Bishop. Like I said, the possibility is as close to zero as possible without being zero. The possibility is left there because we don’t know whom God will choose to lead His Church on earth.
 
ConstantineTG said:
Well, there is no doctrinal hindrance I believe for a married man becoming a Bishop. The discipline was established by an Ecumenical Council, but its still not dogma that only a celibate may become Bishop. Like I said, the possibility is as close to zero as possible without being zero. The possibility is left there because we don’t know whom God will choose to lead His Church on earth.
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i can not source this whatsoever, but

I thought that the rules were that any non married catholic male could be elected.
 
I thought I just saw something recently that said Pope John XXIII was not a Cardinal.
 
Montalo said:
i can not source this whatsoever, but

I thought that the rules were that any non married catholic male could be elected.
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Historically Bishops, even those who became Popes, can be married. I think the current rule limits the candidates to the Cardinals. Everything else is based on historical eligibility, so that extends to the laity including the married men.
 
Montalo said:
i can not source this whatsoever, but

I thought that the rules were that any non married catholic male could be elected.
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That makes sense to me. The Church loooong ago made a rule that only unmarried men can be bishops, because of the greater nature of their responsibilities. How much more for the Pope, who has the greatest responsibility for the Church.

Blessings,
Marduk
 
There are 3 Church laws that govern the eligibility and election of the Pope:

(1) The Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, as amended, issued by the late Bl. Pope John Paul II in 1996;

(2) the Latin Code of Canons; and

(3) the Eastern Code of Canons.

The Apostolic Constitution abrogates all previous laws governing the eligibility and election of the Pope and amends or otherwise modifies those provided by the Latin and Eastern Codes.

Based on the aforecited Apostolic Constitution, on the Codes of Canons, and on the traditions of the Roman Church, I think the following are clear:

(1) General Rule.–The Sacred College of Cardinals (from East and West), in conclave, elect the next Pope from among themselves, i.e., Cardinal electors (under 80) and non-conclave Cardinals (80 and over) are equally eligible for election.

This is inferred from Provision #53 of the AC which provides that the Roman Pontiff shall be elected from among the members of the Sacred College of Cardinals.

In effect this precludes the election of a Deacon (much less a layman, including women and minors) because of Section 1, Canon 351, of the 1983 Latin Code of Canons (and the corresponding Eastern Canon) which provides that those to be promoted Cardinals are men who are at least in the order of priesthood.

The last non-Cardinal who was elected Pope was Pope Urban VI, the then Archbishop of Acerenza (Kingdom of Naples), who was Supreme Pontiff from 1378 through his death in 1389.

(2) Exception.–The AC recognizes the remote possibility of an impasse in the election of the next Pope. In such an event, the Cardinal-electors may elect a non-member of the Sacred College, i.e., a non-Cardinal under Provision #83!

However, even under this exception, such an “outsider” must be at least a priest because, under Section 1, Canon 355, of the Latin Code (and the corresponding Eastern Canon), the newly elected Supreme Pontiff must be consecrated immediately a Bishop, if he is not already a Bishop, to exercise his office (as Pope) canonically.The immediacy of episcopal consecration as required by the Canons precludes the interim ordination of a deacon to the priesthood and the latter’s ordination to the episcopacy.

By the way, since 769 A.D. non-Cardinal clerics and the laity have been debarred from participating in the election of the Pope.

Based on the foregoing, the chances for a Deacon (much less a Catholic layman), or for a non-Cardinal for that matter, to be elected Pope are nil.

Just my opinion.
 
I only knew of the Canon Law; I was unaware of the Apostolic Constitution modifying it. Thanks for the correction and the information!

Peace and God bless!
 
Ghosty said:
Being a Cardinal is not a requirement to be Pope. Any Catholic man, even a layman, can be elected Pope (though a layman would have to be ordained before becoming Pope). There’s no prohibition on an Eastern Catholic becoming Pope, and by some accounts it almost happened not too long ago with the Armenian Catholic Patriarch, but I don’t remember the exact year. It was in the 60s, IIRC.

Peace and God bless!
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It was the Armenian Catholic Patriarch (and Cardinal) **Krikor Bedros XV Aghajanian **in the 1958 papal conclave just after Pius XII died. He almost had a majority of votes, but Pope John XXIII won. He lived until 1971 and had these positions (from Giga-Catholic):

Titular Bishop of Comana Armeniae (1935–1937)
Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians (Lebanon) (1937–1962)
Cardinal-Priest of S. Bartolomeo all’Isola (1946–1970)
President of Pontifical Commission for the Codification of Oriental Canon Law (1955– 1971)
Pro-Prefect of Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith (1958–1960)
Prefect of Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (1960–1970)
Cardinal-Bishop of Albano (1970–1971)
 
Amadeus said:
There are 3 Church laws that govern the eligibility and election of the Pope:

(1) The Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, as amended, issued by the late Bl. Pope John Paul II in 1996;

(2) the Latin Code of Canons; and

(3) the Eastern Code of Canons.

The Apostolic Constitution abrogates all previous laws governing the eligibility and election of the Pope and amends or otherwise modifies those provided by the Latin and Eastern Codes.

Based on the aforecited Apostolic Constitution, on the Codes of Canons, and on the traditions of the Roman Church, I think the following are clear:

(1) General Rule.–The Sacred College of Cardinals (from East and West), in conclave, elect the next Pope from among themselves, i.e., Cardinal electors (under 80) and non-conclave Cardinals (80 and over) are equally eligible for election.

This is inferred from Provision #53 of the AC which provides that the Roman Pontiff shall be elected from among the members of the Sacred College of Cardinals.

In effect this precludes the election of a Deacon (much less a layman, including women and minors) because of Section 1, Canon 351, of the 1983 Latin Code of Canons (and the corresponding Eastern Canon) which provides that those to be promoted Cardinals are men who are at least in the order of priesthood.

The last non-Cardinal who was elected Pope was Pope Urban VI, the then Archbishop of Acerenza (Kingdom of Naples), who was Supreme Pontiff from 1378 through his death in 1389.

(2) Exception.–The AC recognizes the remote possibility of an impasse in the election of the next Pope. In such an event, the Cardinal-electors may elect a non-member of the Sacred College, i.e., a non-Cardinal under Provision #83!

However, even under this exception, such an “outsider” must be at least a priest because, under Section 1, Canon 355, of the Latin Code (and the corresponding Eastern Canon), the newly elected Supreme Pontiff must be consecrated immediately a Bishop, if he is not already a Bishop, to exercise his office (as Pope) canonically.The immediacy of episcopal consecration as required by the Canons precludes the interim ordination of a deacon to the priesthood and the latter’s ordination to the episcopacy.

By the way, since 769 A.D. non-Cardinal clerics and the laity have been debarred from participating in the election of the Pope.

Based on the foregoing, the chances for a Deacon (much less a Catholic layman), or for a non-Cardinal for that matter, to be elected Pope are nil.

Just my opinion.
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Here is an interesting Moto Proprio (2007 Benedictus XVI) Concerning Some Changes in the Norms of the Election of the Roman Pontiff revoking 75 of Universi Dominici gregis. That means no more absolute majority when there is a deadlock, it must be two-thirds.

ewtn.com/holysee/Interregnum/mutationibus.asp
 
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