Conclave 1878

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The conclave of 1878 met from February 18 to 20, 1878 . It had become necessary because Pope Pius IX. after the longest pontificate in history (1846–1878) died on February 7, 1878. In the third ballot, Vincenzo Gioacchino Pecci was named Pope Leo XIII. elected.

Pius IX †

course

Leo XIII.

The conclave came eleven days after the death of Pius IX. together. It was the third conclave after 1513 and 1523 that took place in the Sistine Chapel . Since this conclave, the cardinals have always met in the Sistine Chapel. In the third ballot on February 20, the Camerlengo Vincenzo Gioacchino Pecci was elected Pope with 44 votes. Before the conclave he was not a papabili because he was 68 years old and the Camerlengo is almost never elected Pope.

First ballot

Cardinal Pecci had the highest number of votes in the first ballot, while the favorites Alessandro Franchi and Luigi Bilio were clearly inferior.

Vincenzo Gioacchino Pecci: 19 votes
Luigi Bilio: 6 votes
Alessandro Franchi: 4 votes

Second ballot

Also in the next ballot, Pecci was clearly ahead of the favored cardinals of the Curia.

Vincenzo Gioacchino Pecci: 26 votes
Luigi Bilio: 7 votes
Alessandro Franchi: 2 votes

Third ballot

In the third ballot, Pecci achieved the necessary two-thirds majority with 44 votes (= 72.13%) and was thus elected Pope. He took the Pope's name Leo XIII. on.

Cardinals

After the death of Pius IX. there were 64 cardinals. 61 attended the conclave. Of the participants, 4 were still from Pope Gregory XVI. (1831–1846), the remaining 57 by Pius IX. All 61 participating cardinals were Europeans. The only non-European cardinal ( John McCloskey ) did not arrive in Rome until Leo XIII. has already been elected.

Attendees

Absent or late cardinals

Three cardinals arrived late at the conclave or were unable to attend:

See also

Web links