Q REPORTS (EFE) The Vatican is searching for Francis’s successor, and one of the unknowns, besides the identity of the chosen one, is the name the future pope will adopt, an ancient tradition that often serves as a first declaration of intent.
The designated cardinal’s first mission will be to choose a papal name.
Will it be Francis II? Benedict XVII? Another of the many Gregory, or Leo who have succeeded each other throughout history? No one knows, but speculating or even betting on possible names has become common practice in these Roman times.
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A total of 133 cardinals are locked for the second day in the Sistine Chapel tomorrow to elect a new Pope in a conclave, and the result will not be known until the chosen one appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to present himself to the world. ‘Sibi nomen imposuit’
The first mission of the designated pope will be to choose a papal name, and to do so, still within a Sistine Chapel amid applause, another cardinal will ask him if he accepts the appointment and what he wishes to be called.
Then, from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the identity of the new pontiff will be revealed with the Latin formula ‘Habemus papam’ and, after announcing his given name, he will reveal the pontifical name.
‘Qui sibi nomen imposuit’ (which he has decided to call himself).
The tradition of popes changing their names at the beginning of their ‘reigns’ dates back to the very dawn of Christianity. Jesus of Nazareth himself renamed Simon to Peter, the founder of his church and, therefore, first among future popes.
However, the origin of this custom is much less biblical and much later, as in the early centuries of the Church, the bishops of Rome generally used their own names, often accompanied by their places of origin.
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The custom changed in 533, in the ruins of the Roman Empire, when the elected bishop, Mercurio di Proietto, decided to call himself John II so as not to bear the name of a pagan god.
His pontificate lasted two years, until 535, but from that moment on, many of his successors decided to imitate him by changing their given names to those of apostles, martyrs, and other Christian leaders.
Quite a statement
Over time, this practice of choosing a name has often meant a statement of intent.
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The Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio surprised everyone by debuting the name Francis in 2013 in honor of the saint of Assisi. He would later explain that it was the Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes who suggested it to him shortly after his election in the conclave: “Don’t forget the poor.”
John Paul I (1978) was the first to combine two names, following the legacy of his two influential predecessors, John XXIII (1958-1963) and Paul VI (1963-1978), who were responsible for opening and closing the revolutionary Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).
And after the fleeting reign of the “September Pope,” who governed for only 33 days, came the long pontificate of John Paul II.
To date, the name preferred by pontiffs throughout history has been John, the “disciple whom Jesus loved”: it is repeated 21 times.
Next in line, with 16, are the Gregories, the last being the Italian Benedictine Bartolomeo Alberto (1831-1846), and the Benedicts, such as the German Joseph Ratzinger (2005-2013).
On one occasion, Benedict XVI justified his decision to follow in the footsteps of the “venerated” Benedict XV, “who led the Church through a painful period caused by World War I,” and to honor Benedict of Norcia, patron saint of Europe and the West.
Will the future pope join this list, or will he add a new name to the immense list of pontiffs in history? The answer will only be known after the white smoke announcing the agreement, although some of the cardinals called to vote and eligible for election may already have some idea in their own minds.
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