It is now quite likely the new pope could be elected on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th.
Usually, the conclave begins 15 to 20 days after the death of The Pope, says National Review blogger Michael Potemra. In this case the 15-to-20 day clock will start running on Pope Benedict XVI's resignation day, February 28, which means the election will likely begin between March 15 and March 20.
Vatican sources have said it could possibly start before that but no final decision has been taken.
If the Vatican sticks to the old timetable, Potemra figures that the day of election will fall on March 17. He writes that "the usual minimum 15 days, plus the unusual extra 17 days of advance notice, means that they will start on the early side of the 15-to-20-day window: March 15. One ballot on Friday, March 15, followed by four on Saturday, March 16, and four on every successive day until a Pope is elected.
"It is less likely for a Pope to be elected on the first full day of balloting (though, in the past century, Ratzinger, Luciani, and Pacelli were), so the Pope will probably be elected on the second full day, which is Sunday, March 17 — yes, St. Patrick’s Day."
Meanwhile, one of the front runners, Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, may have disqualified himself according to The New York Times because of a very poorly received speech he made at the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin last year.
The Times quotes Vatican insiders as saying “some said he practically put the crowd to sleep during his talk at the International Eucharistic Congress last June in Dublin.”
In contrast, Filipino Cardinal Tagle and New York Cardinal Dolan helped their prospects by impressive speeches to groups of Cardinals in the recent past the newspaper reports.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Smyrnian | Feb 18, 2013, 07:56 PM EST
Warlocks - the Pope is not set up as God. Educate yourself.
warlocks | Feb 18, 2013, 01:34 AM EST
What would Jesus say to all this fanfare of electing a pope ? he was not a Man who bowed down to Man created Gods , he for one would not stand for this Farce and Fanfare in Gods House he would Drive the vipers out of the Vatican and banish them , he would Destroy the Evil vatican as well and bring back the people into his Flock .and tell the followers no Man is God ! & God is not Man and never was Man Remember Jesus never said he was God. Jesus states 81 times in the Bible He is the Son of Man ! not God ! !
warlocks | Feb 18, 2013, 01:31 AM EST
What would Jesus say to all this fanfare of electing a pope ? he was not a Man who bowed down to Man created Gods , he for one would not stand for this Farce and Fanfare in Gods House he would Drive the vipers out of the Vatican and banish them , he would Destroy the Evil vatican as well and bring back the people into his Flock .and tell the followers no Man is God ! & God is not Man and never was Man
warlocks | Feb 18, 2013, 01:10 AM EST
Electing a New Pope all this pomp & for what It's nothing but Religious Politics just a big Farce that should have Ended long ago . Power Drunk Men putting on a Show for the workd to see, how a money making business elects its next president aka Pope.
Gearoid4 | Feb 17, 2013, 08:57 PM EST
Christianity is an universal faith, Norm, so it should not be alien to Ireland or any other country on planet earth. It was not imposed on Ireland but was integrated very successfully into the national culture. It survived for 1,500 years until the attempts by the English to impose their version of the "reformed" faith which was stoutly resisted by the vast majority of the Irish population from the 16th century onward and did not make much progress after that. Rome is the epicenter of the Latin Catholic Faith in the West and Ireland came within it's ambit and thus it is not "foreign" to the Irish population. @Stiofain I guess that you are making an indirect reference to the document "De Laudbiliter" which supposedly gave free reign to Henry 11 to do what he wanted in Ireland in the 12th century. But I refer you to my earlier comments, which deal with the lack of authenticity relating to this document. It seems that the English king went beyond the stated wishes of Pope Adrian 1V who only wanted Henry to legitimately reform the liturgical practices of the Irish Church rather than politically subdue the Irish kings.
Stiofain | Feb 17, 2013, 06:56 PM EST
Does Pope Adrian IV ring a bell?An English pope.What did he do to help Henry II and the Anglo-Normans? CitizenWhy you got it right again.
anglo-norman | Feb 17, 2013, 05:05 PM EST
Gearoid4-So the "Old Faith" was not imposed by a foreign power?
Gearoid4 | Feb 17, 2013, 04:40 PM EST
Norm, Your potted comic book history of the Catholic faith in Ireland does you no favors. Many countless thousands of Irish natives literally suffered "dungeon, fire and sword" for sticking to the Old Faith through the centuries and not accepting the imposition of a reformed one by a foreign power not constant with their own. History shows that the greatest proportion of brain-washing, robbery and raping, was conducted by that very same foreign power in the name of "civilization". The Catholic Church was composed of the ordinary women and men in both lay and religious capacities since the dawning of Christianity in Ireland and thus was not "foreign" to them. I hope that the Holy Spirit influences the Cardinals in the upcoming conclave to elect a humble,cosmopolitan and Christ-like figure who understands fully the contemporary problems of the Church and will follow the route laid down by Christ to solve them
Gearoid4 | Feb 17, 2013, 04:39 PM EST
Norm, Your potted comic book history of the Catholic faith in Ireland does you no favors. Many countless thousands of Irish natives literally suffered "dungeon, fire and sword" for sticking to the Old Faith through the centuries and not accepting the imposition of a reformed one by a foreign power not constant with their own. History shows that the greatest proportion of brain-washing, robbery and raping, was conducted by that very same foreign power in the name of "civilization". The Catholic Church was composed of the ordinary women and men in both lay and religious capacities since the dawning of Christianity in Ireland and thus was not "foreign" to them. I hope that the Holy Spirit influences the Cardinals in the upcoming conclave to elect a humble,cosmopolitan and Christ-like figure who understands fully the contemporary of the Church and will follow the route laid down by Christ to solve them.
jacersagain | Feb 17, 2013, 02:29 PM EST
Why are the bookies not taking bets on the Pope being elected on St. Patrick's Day, a Sunday?? I'll tell you why.... what the bookies think will have no import on the choice of the Spirit of the Holy Ghost of Wisdom.
anglo-norman | Feb 17, 2013, 02:19 PM EST
What a lovely gesture for Ireland...after invading their country,brain-washing them,robbing them & raping them. And the Irish Catholics will dance with joy.
SeamusMor | Feb 17, 2013, 01:26 PM EST
Irish born, Keith Cardinal O'Brien's birthday is March 17th.!
handsome68 | Feb 17, 2013, 01:15 PM EST
I'd take the job if they allow me to use Peter's Pence as my own personal bank account. I'm single, good-looking, heterosexual, never married, nearly 70 years old. I have experience marching in the St. Patrick's Day Parade, many times in fact, in New York City. In addition to English, I speak conversational French, a little German and Spanish.
CitizenWhy | Feb 17, 2013, 01:02 PM EST
Even if elected on St.Patrick's Day, the new pope will not be able to drive the snakes out of the Vatican. In fact he will appoint many to high offices.
Prevailer | Feb 17, 2013, 11:14 AM EST
Good Friday would not be a good time! And Thank God the US Congress is not involved!@@?
PhlutiePhan | Feb 17, 2013, 10:56 AM EST
@Will Hamilton: A little angry are we? St. patrick was a slave who felt a calling to a higher purpose.
Seanmor | Feb 17, 2013, 10:50 AM EST
Whether or not the new pope be elected on the feat day of Ireland's saint, he will most probably follow the teachings of the Holy Bible.
Will Hamilton | Feb 17, 2013, 10:39 AM EST
One dinosaur replaces another and it might happen on the alleged birthday of a pathological liar who is credited with bringing a foreign child raping cult to Ireland....so what!
89west | Feb 17, 2013, 10:01 AM EST
Never mind about him being elected by the 17th, it was also rumored he plans to march in the Patk's Day parade.