Can Pope be appointed, just as Jesus appointed Peter？

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The Pope is elected by the College of Cardinals. Papal selection before AD 1059 did not have the conclave system as is used today. The electing of the Bishop of Rome has developed over the centuries. You can read about older ways that was used to appoint a pope here: newadvent.org/cathen/12270a.htm
 
I’m guessing that that has been done (in the distant past). < Upon a bit of research now I’m quite a bit less sure of that guess. New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia (see link below) names NO such Pope for sure and casts doubt on the speculation that it was ever done.

In the early days of the Church they didn’t have conclaves in the Vatican. They were hiding in catacombs to say masses and St. Peter was crucified “at the Vatican” a Roman execution ground.

How were Clement or Linus made Peter’s successors? Might Peter have named him or suggested his ascension to the post upon his own demise? Were they seconds in command like a vice president and just slid into their jobs? Was there “something like” a conclave amongst the members of the Church of Rome to pick or affirm Linus (and subsequent successors)?

newadvent.org/cathen/11456a.htm < This Catholic Encyclopedia doesn’t settle the matter, but notes records of Peter setting up a mechanism for election, elections where laypeople and emperors participated (in at least the preliminaries). It states that the idea that early Popes appointed their successors “seems to be apocryphal”. Some Popes did name what we would call nominees for election according to the link. A critical statement for now from the link seems to be:
It is certain at present, that, according to ecclesiastical law (c. “Episcopo”, 3; c. “Plerique”, 5; can. “Moyses”, 6, caus. 8, Q. 1), the pope cannot elect his successor.
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Could a deadlocked conclave agree to let (say) Benedict XVI choose his successor or
at least narrow the field down to two candidates all found acceptable … wherein subsequent votes would more quickly settle the matter? We are in unfamiliar waters.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_selection_before_1059 Wikipedia is not the most authoritative source on this I’m sure … but they did have plenty of interesting information about “non conclave” selections of the past.

I didn’t see rules governing conclaves (we don’t HAVE one yet, they are still gathering);
but since all the Cardinals are there I don’t expect our (now retired) Pope to say … “never mind, I’ve decided to appoint _______.”

It is such a new thing in our times to have a living Pope around while a conclave meets … that THEM asking HIM to participate in some way (especially if picking his successor gets knotty and takes a while) might not be out of the question.

Benedict: Eeny, meeny, miney, POPE! :highprayer: < highly improbable 😉
 
CaptFun said:
Could a deadlocked conclave agree to let (say) Benedict XVI choose his successor or
at least narrow the field down to two candidates all found acceptable … wherein subsequent votes would more quickly settle the matter? We are in unfamiliar waters.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_selection_before_1059 Wikipedia is not the most authoritative source on this I’m sure … but they did have plenty of interesting information about “non conclave” selections of the past.

I didn’t see rules governing conclaves (we don’t HAVE one yet, they are still gathering);
but since all the Cardinals are there I don’t expect our (now retired) Pope to say … “never mind, I’ve decided to appoint _______.”

It is such a new thing in our times to have a living Pope around while a conclave meets … that THEM asking HIM to participate in some way (especially if picking his successor gets knotty and takes a while) might not be out of the question.

Benedict: Eeny, meeny, miney, POPE! :highprayer: < highly improbable 😉
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Canon law states that the prerogative to elect the Pope is solely that of those members of the Sacred College of Cardinals who have not attained the age of 80. So no, Benedict may not enter the conclave or participate in any way in the election.

Prior to 8 pm Rome time on Februrary 28th, Benedict had the authority to change the law in any way he saw fit, such as giving any living Popes Emeritus a vote in the conclave, the right to enter the conclave but without a vote, or even to outright choose his successor alone without the (name removed by moderator)ut of the Cardinals. But he didn’t, and as of the effective hour of his renunciation, there is nobody on Earth with the authority to change canon law.
 
aemcpa said:
Canon law states that the prerogative to elect the Pope is solely that of those members of the Sacred College of Cardinals who have not attained the age of 80. So no, Benedict may not enter the conclave or participate in any way in the election.

Prior to 8 pm Rome time on Februrary 28th, Benedict had the authority to change the law in any way he saw fit, such as giving any living Popes Emeritus a vote in the conclave, the right to enter the conclave but without a vote, or even to outright choose his successor alone without the (name removed by moderator)ut of the Cardinals. But he didn’t, and as of the effective hour of his renunciation, there is nobody on Earth with the authority to change canon law.
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Thanks for the clarity aemcpa. I may have presumed that a deadlocked conclave could also vote in new rules (change of or addition to Canon Law?) in this rather unprecedented case, to effectuate the election of a Pope (what they are there for) in lieu of a stalemate that leaves the Church “Popeless” for a time (what they came to conclave to resolve).

:hmmm: - hope it’s not a LONG Conclave in any case. 🙂
 
Had the Holy Father been 79 (and therefore of voting age) would he have been able to vote in this conclave, considering his abdication?
 
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