How can a layman be made pope if there is no pope to approve his ordination?

[Other_Eric]

Michelle Arnold:

A deacon also cannot administer the anointing of the sick or confer confirmation. (A priest can confer confirmation if delegated by his bishop to do so.) Neither priests nor deacons can ordain. Only a bishop can confer ordination to deacons, priests, and bishops, although the bishop must have the permission of the pope to ordain a bishop (source

).I’m confused. Perhaps someone can explain this to me.

In theory, I have been led to believe, a layman could be elected pope. If such a thing were to happen, this hypothetical man would have to be ordained the Bishop of Rome. However, the only clergymen available to perform this ordination would be other bishops, and as pointed out in Michelle’s post, a bishop cannot ordain another bishop without the permission of the pope. However, in my scenario, there is no pope. It seems, therefore, a layman cannot be made pope because of this technicality. How, then, to resolve this apparent paradox?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Other Eric:

It seems, therefore, a layman cannot be made pope because of this technicality. How, then, to resolve this apparent paradox?

By referring to this post. The same principle applies in both cases. The permission of a pope to validly ordain a bishop is an ecclesiastical discipline, not a fundamental necessity to a valid episcopal ordination. In such a case as you describe, the discipline would not be in effect so long as it is a fundamental impossibility to observe it (the fundamental impossibility, in this case, being that there is no pope until the elected man is ordained Bishop of Rome). Indeed, canon law provides special legislation to provide specifically for the continuance of the Church during interregnums. One such canon states:

The Roman pontiff acquires full and supreme power in the Church when, together with episcopal consecration, he has been lawfully elected and has accepted the election. Accordingly, if he already has the episcopal character, he receives this power from the moment he accepts election to the supreme pontificate. *If he does not have the episcopal character, he is immediately to be ordained bishop *(canon 332 §1, Code of Canon Law, emphasis added).