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Pope Paul VI instituted the rule out of respect for the elderly cardinals who would find a strenuous trip to the Vatican and conclave to be a hardship. It also has a practical purpose. The number of electors is limited to 120. Before a pope could only appoint a new cardinal if one of the elderly died. Now the pope can look at the list of cardinals due to retire that year and appoint a number of new cardinals to fill the coming vacancies to maintain the number at, or near, 120. Most of the retired cardinals still remain active, to a degree, in work for the Church but no longer carry the burden of travel to elect a new pope.
What else can I help you with?
How many cardinals are needed to elect a pope?
2/3 of the eligible cardinals (under age 80) are needed to elect a pope.
How many Catholic cardinals are in Poland?
10 cardinals. 3 of them are eligible to elect a new pope.
What do you call the bishops that elect the pope?
Bishops that elect the pope are called cardinals.
What do the college of cardinals use to elect a pope?
The cardinals use paper ballots to elect a pope. There are no voting machines used.
In which building do cardinals meet to elect a new pope in?
The Sistine Chapel is where the Cardinals meet to elect a new Pope.
What is the name of the Group of Cardinals who elect the Pope?
The College of Cardinals
What college is the pope elected by?
The College of Cardinals elect the pope.
Who are bishops that elect the pope?
Cardinals elect Popes, but they are not necessarily bishops.
How do people elect a pope?
The Pope gets elected by the Cardinals not the people.
Who elects the pope?
All cardinals under the age of 80 years make up the electorate that chooses a new pope.
Who selected the pope?
The College of Cardinals selects the pope. All cardinals under age 80 are eligible to vote.
Why is a Cardinals role important?
The Cardinals role was to elect a new Pope when the See of Peter was vacant
