What happens if the pope is in a coma?

ROME (AP) — The Vatican has detailed laws, rituals and roles to ensure the transfer of power when a pope dies or resigns. But none of them apply when he is sick or even unconscious, and there are no specific norms governing what happens when a pope becomes incapacitated.

What happens if the pope is murdered?

The death of a pope puts into motion a formal, age-old process that includes certifying his death, arranging for the body to lie in state, organizing a funeral and preparing for the election of a successor. The pope's chief of staff, or camerlengo, is in charge of all arrangements.

Do popes serve until death?

The papal post is traditionally held until death, though Francis's predecessor Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013 after roughly seven years in office, becoming the first pope to step down in nearly 600 years.

Has there ever been an assassinated pope?

John VIII was the first pope to be assassinated during a particularly turbulent century that would see multiple claimants to the papacy and a succession of violent papal deaths.

Can the pope get kicked out?

A papal renunciation (Latin: renuntiatio) occurs when the reigning pope of the Catholic Church voluntarily steps down from his position. As the reign of the pope has conventionally been from election until death, papal renunciation is an uncommon event.

What If The Pope Died Tomorrow?

Do popes get paid?

The pope will not be affected by the cuts, because he does not receive a salary. “As an absolute monarch, he has everything at his disposal and nothing at his disposal,” Mr. Muolo said. “He doesn't need an income, because he has everything that he needs.”

Who was the youngest pope ever?

Pope Benedict IX (Latin: Benedictus IX; c. 1012 – c. 1056), born Theophylactus of Tusculum in Rome, was Bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States on three occasions between October 1032 and July 1048. Aged approximately 20 at his first election, he is one of the youngest popes in history.

Was there a woman pope?

Pope Joan, legendary female pontiff who supposedly reigned, under the title of John VIII, for slightly more than 25 months, from 855 to 858, between the pontificates of St. Leo IV (847–855) and Benedict III (855–858).

Is there smoke when the pope dies?

Black smoke means there has not been a two-thirds majority, and another vote will go ahead. White smoke and a new Pope has been elected.

What happens to a popes body?

According to experts, the pope's body is likely to be embalmed and then exposed for the veneration of the faithful – most likely in St. Peter's Basilica. Tradition calls for nine days of mourning during which there is a papal interregnum, or interval during which the Catholic Church is without a spiritual leader.

Why do they destroy the pope's ring?

The ring "is a sign of authority of a particular pope and so that's why it's so important that the ring itself is destroyed once a papacy ends, so that no one can assert that authority except within whom it has been invested," Dennis told CBC News.

When pope dies Who is in charge?

On the death of the pope, the camerlengo takes charge of and administers the property and money of the Holy See with the help of three cardinal assistants who are chosen by lot from among those cardinals under 80.

Why is the pope buried in three coffins?

A pope must be buried between the 4th and 6th day after his death. During much ceremony, John Paul's body was placed in three consecutive coffins, as is tradition. The first of the three coffins is made from cypress, signifying that the pope is an ordinary man no different from any other.

Who were the three black popes?

These were Pope Victor I (reigned c . 189 to 199), Pope Miltiades (reigned 311 to 314) and Pope Gelasius I (492 to 496); all three were North African men.

Has any pope been married?

There have been at least four Popes who were legally married before taking Holy Orders: St Hormisdas (514–523), Adrian II (867–872), John XVII (1003) and Clement IV (1265–68) – though Hormisdas was already a widower by the time of his election.

Who was the first pope?

Peter, traditionally considered the first pope. Among these, 82 have been proclaimed saints, as have some antipopes (rival claimants to the papal throne who were appointed or elected in opposition to the legitimate pope).

Is the Pope allowed to have a wife?

This means the simple answer to this article's question is no, Popes do not marry. However, this hasn't stopped a few popes throughout history bending the rule books.

What does the pope do all day?

DAILY ROUTINE: Francis rises on his own at around 4:30 a.m. and spends the next two hours praying, meditating on the Scripture readings for the day and preparing his morning homily. He delivers it off-the-cuff at the 7 a.m. Mass in the chapel of the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where he lives.

What is the age limit to be a pope?

There's no official age requirement for the post. The youngest pope to be elected in Vatican history is Pope John XII, who is believed to have been 18-years-old when he ascended to the papacy in 955.

Is there an age limit for being pope?

There's actually no age limit to be pope, though, since the early 15th century, there has not been a pope younger than 44 years old. John XII is believed to be the youngest pope ever, taking the job at the ripe age of 18. This youngster took the job during a rash of young popes at the end of the first century.

Who was the 12 year old pope?

Benedict IX was pope on 3 separate occasions during his lifetime, with the first being when he was just 12 years old. He grew to be a wicked boy and ran from the position to hide within the city when political opponents tried to murder him.