question about a pope's death

[Fixxxer]

a cardinal takes a silver hammer and hits the dead pope on the forehead 3 times. then he calls him by his baptismal name, and then states, "The pope is dead."

is this true? interesting

[Pio Nono]

JMJ
4/4 - Annunciation of the Lord (Second Day of the Novendiales)

Fixxxer,

Yeah, it's true - it comes from an old tradition of the Church, when that was the best way we had to ascertain whether someone was dead. The "silver hammer" is only a couple inches long and weighs less than a pound, so it's not like he's rarin' back and whackin' the guy on the forehead. The man who fills this office is the "cardinal camerlengo", who this time around was a Spanish cardinal. Hope this helps.

Yours,
Pio Nono

[Pio Nono]

JMJ
4/4 - Annunciation of the Lord (Second Day of the Novendiales)

Oddly enough, the Vatican Information Service put this out today about the cardinal camerlengo...

[quote]OFFICE OF CAMERLENGO DATES TO 12TH CENTURY

      VATICAN CITY, APR 4, 2005 (VIS) - A student of the history of the Roman
Curia, in particular the office called the Apostolic Camera, will find that,
as early as the 11th century, the term "camera thesauraria" (treasure
chamber) appeared, describing an office set up to administer the finances of
the Roman Curia and the temporal goods of the Holy See. Today it performs the
latter task only in the period of "sede vacante" or vacant see.

        In the 12th century, the head of that office was known as the
"camerarius," or camerlengo (chamberlain) - a title which carries over to
today. That same century saw the former offices of viceroy, treasurer and
wardrobe guardian incorporated into this single department. In the 13th and
14th centuries it acquired judicial functions in fiscal matters as well as
certain penal and civil cases.

        The camerlengo of Holy Roman Church (to be distinguished from the
camerlengo of the College of Cardinals) was often a cardinal, but this became
mandatory only in the 15th century. Then - as now - he was assisted by a
vice-camerlengo, a general auditor and chamber clerks, called Cleric
Prelates. Today there is also a notary.

        The current camerlengo of Holy Roman Church is Cardinal Eduardo
Martinez Somalo. He was born March 31, 1927 in Banos de Rio Tobia in the
diocese of Calahorra y La Calzada-Logrono. He was made a cardinal by Pope
John Paul on June 28, 1988, and was appointed camerlengo on April 5, 1993.

        In the early centuries the camerlengo, individual clerks and chamber
auditor had acquired specific competencies and presided over special
tribunals, though the "camera plena" or full chamber functioned as a
collegial court. Throughout the 19th century the Camera was above all a
tribunal for the pontifical state. With his Apostolic Constitution "Sapienti
Consilio" of June 29, 1908, Pope St. Pius X confirmed the Apostolic Camera in
its functions of temporal power which it had exercised in the past.

        With Paul VI's Apostolic Constitution "Regimini Ecclesiae Universae"
of August 15, 1967, the Apostolic Camera, presided over by the Camerlengo of
Holy Roman Church, or if he is impeded, by the vice-camerlengo, preserved the
function of caring for and administering the temporal goods and rights of the
Holy See during the period of "sede vacante," that is, between the death of
one Pope and the election of his successor.

        A reconfirmation of these special duties came with John Paul II's
Apostolic Constitution "Pastor Bonus" of June 28, 1988.

        As confirmed by Pope John Paul II in the Apostolic Constitution
"Universi Dominici Gregis" of February 1996, the camerlengo of Holy Roman
Church and the major penitentiary are the only two heads of curial offices
whose functions do not cease during the "sede vacante." In fact, those of the
camerlengo actually increase during this period.
      .../PROFILE:CAMERLENGO/...    VIS 050404 (480)

      V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.
      Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City
[/quote]

-PN