Pope from laity

[Joseph_Misango]

Hallo there,

On my shitory readings, I have come to find that Pope Gregory I {Magnum}, ascended to papacy while he was a deacon. In this case, after his election he has to be ordained priest and the consecrated a bishop.

Was there any Pope who ascended rightly from laity to papacy? I mean the one whom after his election he had to pass all ordination oders to bishopric one.

My question is based on the fact that any male unmarried Catholic is a potential candidate for the papacy.

Please help in broadening my understanding.

Jose.

 

[anjoh66]

You cannot become pope straight from laity since the pope is also bishop of Rome a consecration is always necessary.

It means a lay person may be chosen but must be consecreated immediately after the election.

 

[edward_george]

Any Catholic male is eligible to be elected Pope. It hasn’t happened in centuries that a non-Cardinal or a non-cleric has been elected, but it is within the realm of possibility (just horrendously unlikely).

As an aside, I am told by a canonist at my seminary that were a layman to be elected Pope, he would not be ordained deacon, priest, and then bishop, but would have the episcopacy conferred immediately–it being the fullness of Holy Orders, there would be no need to confer all three. In effect, they are all conferred at once. It is called ordination “per saltem,” i.e. “by leap,” and just means a rapid advancement through the degrees of Orders. I do not find reference to this in the 1983 Code of Canon Law, but it is present in the 1917 Code.

-ACEGC

 

[chevalier]

Hallo there,

On my shitory readings, I have come to find that Pope Gregory I {Magnum}, ascended to papacy while he was a deacon. In this case, after his election he has to be ordained priest and the consecrated a bishop.

Was there any Pope who ascended rightly from laity to papacy? I mean the one whom after his election he had to pass all ordination oders to bishopric one.

My question is based on the fact that any male unmarried Catholic is a potential candidate for the papacy.

Please help in broadening my understanding.

Jose.

Some Popes were not bishops at the moment of election, they had to be consecrated. There were supposedly those who were laymen when elected, certainly some of the bishops of old, who were also elected, were laymen when elected.

A non-priest would need a priestly ordination (not sure if it would be necessary to ordain him to the diaconate first or not), then episcopal. Full papal powers would vest from episcopal ordination, although obedience might be owed earlier, along with homage by the cardinals.

Any Catholic male is eligible to be elected Pope. It hasn’t happened in centuries that a non-Cardinal or a non-cleric has been elected, but it is within the realm of possibility (just horrendously unlikely).

As an aside, I am told by a canonist at my seminary that were a layman to be elected Pope, he would not be ordained deacon, priest, and then bishop, but would have the episcopacy conferred immediately–it being the fullness of Holy Orders, there would be no need to confer all three. In effect, they are all conferred at once. It is called ordination “per saltem,” i.e. “by leap,” and just means a rapid advancement through the degrees of Orders. I do not find reference to this in the 1983 Code of Canon Law, but it is present in the 1917 Code.

-ACEGC

Didn’t know about that. Isn’t the ordination rite somewhat expanded, though, in such cases?

 

[Deerslyr]

Theoretically speaking, say they elected a layman. Would they not have to send for the layman and ask him if he is willing to take on the papacy? At what point would they emit the white smoke? After he accepts? If he has a 2/3 vote and it takes a day or two to locate him and bring him to The Vatican, do we just not have any activity?

I know it wouldn’t happen, but the rules don’t forbid it.

 

[Joseph_Misango]

The fumata biance a white smoke is always puffed out once the candidate accept the nomination and already chosen his papal name.

 

[Deerslyr]

The fumata biance a white smoke is always puffed out once the candidate accept the nomination and already chosen his papal name.

But if they vote and a 2/3 majority is accepted, would it not be unusual to the outside that they are not getting black smoke coming out of the chimney four times a day until the candidate can be brought to Rome? Wouldn’t lack of smoke at all be an outward sign?

 

[DexUK]

But if they vote and a 2/3 majority is accepted, would it not be unusual to the outside that they are not getting black smoke coming out of the chimney four times a day until the candidate can be brought to Rome? Wouldn’t lack of smoke at all be an outward sign?

I suppose it might be.

It would certainly get the media’s tongues wagging, and it would be entertaining to see them tie themselves up in knots for a while…

I seriously doubt it’ll happen though.

I’m just hoping for a Pope from the Franciscan charism…

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

Theoretically speaking, say they elected a layman. Would they not have to send for the layman and ask him if he is willing to take on the papacy? At what point would they emit the white smoke? After he accepts? If he has a 2/3 vote and it takes a day or two to locate him and bring him to The Vatican, do we just not have any activity?

I know it wouldn’t happen, but the rules don’t forbid it.

We have Skype for that now.

I honestly thought this thread was going to be about someone from the laity discerning the vocation of becoming the Pope.

 

[Joseph_Misango]

We have Skype for that now.

I honestly thought this thread was going to be about someone from the laity discerning the vocation of becoming the Pope.

My vocation is simply about seraching for the truth and nothing else. But mind you, Saint Ambose rose not from laity to episcopacy, but from paganism to episcopacy in the matter for week.

And as of the date, you celebrate his rite the famous Ambrosian rite, particular at Milan where Angelo Cardinal Scola preside.