The process of selecting the next Pope is not part of the Deposit of Faith. Thus, at various times, it was done differently than it is done today. In the very early times, the current Pope did, indeed, name his successor, as you suggest. In later times, the Pope was elected by popular consensus (an early example of democracy, which did not last long). In “modern” times (which, for the Church, means the past thousand years) the Pope has been elected by a special body of Bishops known as the College of Cardinals (whom are all appointed by the Pope).How come a pope is not pre-selected by the previous pope to take his place when he dies? For instance, how come Benedict XVI was not preselected by JPII as his predecessor upon his death?
Well the priesthood is of course passed on precisely by the laying on of hands in the sacrament of Holy Orders. The bishop of Rome is a bishop like any other - there is no “higher level” of ordination to the papacy, and so has already been ordained as deacon, priest and bishop. But the election to the Papacy is in fact an election to an office, to the Chair of Peter. If a non-ordained person were to be elected that person would be ordained before being installed. (I believe the last time this happened was with the nomination of the monk who became Celestine V in 1294 - known, incidentally, for an act re-affirming the process of the conclave for the election of a pope, and for decreeing that a Pope could choose to resign his office - which he then did.)Why wouldn’t they have it be like the Levitical priesthood where they laid hands on the successor to entrust responsibility and power to him the way Aaron did with his successor? It seems to me that this way would be more in line with a type of Tradition.
That makes sense. Thanks for clarifying that for me, NHInsider.Well the priesthood is of course passed on precisely by the laying on of hands in the sacrament of Holy Orders. The bishop of Rome is a bishop like any other - there is no “higher level” of ordination to the papacy, and so has already been ordained as deacon, priest and bishop. But the election to the Papacy is in fact an election to an office, to the Chair of Peter. If a non-ordained person were to be elected that person would be ordained before being installed. (I believe the last time this happened was with the nomination of the monk who became Celestine V in 1294 - known, incidentally, for an act re-affirming the process of the conclave for the election of a pope, and for decreeing that a Pope could choose to resign his office - which he then did.)