How do popes come to power?

Answer 1

Choosing a pope is a highly secretive process but in brief, the electors all of whom are cardinals and under the age of 80 will stay at the Vaticans Sistine chapel and vote on a candidate to become the new pope ballots are secret and are held until one candidate receives two thirds plus one of the votes. Any male Catholic can be elected, though usually a Cardinal is chosen.

Answer 2

A:

The twenty five members of the Sacred College who met in conclave on 4th March, 1513 wanted a peaceful, easygoing pontiff who would lift irksome financial restrictions, rule in a civilised manner and die soon enough for some other member of the college enjoy their turn as pope.

After a week, the choice had narrowed down to Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici, but he had one great defect in that he was only thirty seven years old. If he were elected, the older cardinals would almost certainly have disfranchised themselves of any chance of the papacy.

For years Giovanni had been tormented by an open ulcer and, in order to allow him to attend the conclave, his physicians had been brought in with him. Whether by accident or design, they became increasingly troubled by his condition during the conclave and let it be known that there was a high probability that the young cardinal would not long survive his dangerous and painful illness. With that assurance, Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici, son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, was elected pope and took the name of Leo X.

Answer 3

Another answer from our community:

Jesus appointed Peter as the first pope when he told him, "Thou art Peter (Rock) and upon this rock I will build my Church. I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatsoever you bind on earth, shall be bound also in Heaven. Whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed also in Heaven." In other words, Peter, you are the boss, you make the rules and Heaven will honor those rules.

Answer 4

Matthew's Gospel does suggest that Jesus spoke of Peter leading his Church, so we could say that Peter was to be the leader of the early Christian Church. In spite of this, Paul seems to have seen him as merely one of three leaders of the church in Jerusalem, along with James and John.

Traditionally the pope is the bishop of Rome but there is no evidence that Peter was the bishop of Rome, or even went to Rome. Francis A. Sullivan SJ (From Apostles to Bishops) says that most scholars, including most Catholic scholars, are of the opinion that the early church of Rome was led by a group of presbyters, and that bishops were not appointed to the church in Rome until later in the second century. Nevertheless, Peter became the first pope in a tradition that also began in the second century.

Answer 5

They have to be voted in by the members of the Vatican, or the Cardinals.

Answer 6

he was voted on by the bishops he was the highest bishop