Papal conclave, 1963
Coat of arms during the vacancy of the Holy See
|
|
| Dates and location | |
|---|---|
| 19–21 June 1963 Sistine Chapel, Apostolic Palace, Vatican City |
|
| Key officials | |
| Dean | Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Tisserant |
| Sub-Dean | Clemente Micara |
| Camerlengo | Benedetto Aloisi Masella |
| Protodeacon | Alfredo Ottaviani |
| Secretary | Francesco Carpino |
| Election | |
| Ballots | 6 |
| Elected Pope | |
|
Giovanni Battista Montini (Name taken: Paul VI) |
|
 |
|
The Papal conclave of 1963 was convoked following the death of Pope John XXIII on 3 June that year in the Apostolic Palace. After the cardinal electors assembled in Rome, the conclave to elect John's successor began on 19 June and ended two days later, on 21 June, after six ballots. The cardinals elected Giovanni Battista Montini, then Archbishop of Milan, as the new pope. He accepted the election and took the pontifical name of Paul VI.
John XXIII's death left the future of the Second Vatican Council in the balance, as the election of an anti-Council pope could have severely curbed the Council's role. The leading papabile candidates were Giovanni Battista Montini of Milan, who had not yet been Cardinal at the time of the previous conclave, and was supportive of reforms proposed at the Council; Giacomo Lercaro of Bologna, who was considered a liberal, close to the previous pope, John XXIII; and Giuseppe Siri of Genoa, papabile in 1958 and critical of these reforms. Reportedly, John XXIII had sent oblique signals indicating that he thought Montini would make a fine pope.
The 1963 conclave, which was held from 19 to 21 June, at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, was the largest ever assembled until that time. There were eighty-two cardinals, but owing to his house arrest, József Mindszenty could not travel to Rome, while Carlos María de la Torre did not participate owing to his advanced age and chronic health problems. Of the eighty cardinals who did participate, eight had been elevated by Pope Pius XI, twenty-seven by Pius XII, and the remainder by John XXIII. Each cardinal elector was allowed one aide.
...
Wikipedia