# 2005 conclave

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Papal conclave April 2005 Dates and location 18–19 April 2005 Sistine Chapel, Apostolic Palace, Vatican City Key officials Dean Joseph Ratzinger Sub-dean Angelo Sodano Camerlengo Eduardo Martínez Somalo Protopriest Stephen Kim Sou-hwan Protodeacon Jorge Medina Secretary Francesco Monterisi Election Electors 115 (list) Candidates See papabili Ballots 4 Elected pope Joseph Ratzinger Name taken: Benedict XVI ← October 1978 2013 →

This article is part of a series about Pope Benedict XVI Early life and church career Early life Archbishop of Munich and Freising Prefect of the CDF Dominus Iesus Pontifical Biblical Commission International Theological Commission Dean of the College of Cardinals Papacy 2005 conclave Papal inauguration Pastoral visits United States United Kingdom Cardinals created Canonizations Beatifications Ceremonial of Benedict XVI Christmas Album Theology and writings Theology Bibliography Introduction to Christianity Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life Truth and Tolerance The Ratzinger Report The Spirit of the Liturgy Jesus of Nazareth From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration Holy Week The Infancy Narratives Magisterial documents Deus caritas est Sacramentum caritatis Spe salvi Caritas in veritate Verbum Domini Church governance and liturgy Summorum Pontificum Anglicanorum coetibus Papal election reforms of Pope Benedict XVI Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization Vatileaks scandal Ecumenism and interfaith relations Ecumenism Judaism Islam Regensburg lecture Resignation, death, and legacy Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI Pope emeritus 2013 conclave Mater Ecclesiae Monastery Death and funeral of Pope Benedict XVI Benevacantism Related 8661 Ratzinger Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI v t e

A [conclave](/source/Conclave) was held on 18 and 19 April 2005 to elect a new [pope](/source/Pope) to succeed [John Paul II](/source/John_Paul_II), who had died on 2 April 2005. Of the 117 eligible [cardinal electors](/source/Cardinal_electors_in_the_2005_conclave), all but two attended. On the fourth ballot, the conclave elected Cardinal [Joseph Ratzinger](/source/Joseph_Ratzinger), the [dean of the College of Cardinals](/source/Dean_of_the_College_of_Cardinals) and prefect of the [Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith](/source/Congregation_for_the_Doctrine_of_the_Faith). After accepting his election, he [took the name](/source/Papal_name) *Benedict XVI*. Ratzinger was the first cardinal from the [Roman Curia](/source/Roman_Curia) to become pope since [Pius XII](/source/Pius_XII) in [1939](/source/1939_conclave).

## Papal election process

The papal election process began soon after the [death of Pope John Paul II](/source/Death_of_Pope_John_Paul_II) on 2 April 2005.

### New voting procedures

Pope John Paul II laid out new procedures for the election of his successor in his 1996 [apostolic constitution](/source/Apostolic_constitution) *[Universi Dominici gregis](/source/Universi_Dominici_gregis)*.[1] It detailed the roles of the cardinals and the support personnel, the scheduling of the conclave, the text of the oaths, the penalties for violating secrecy, and many details, including the shape of the ballots ("the ballot paper must be rectangular in shape"). He denied the cardinal electors the right to choose a pope by acclamation or by assigning the election to a select group of cardinals (by compromise). He also established new voting procedures that the cardinals could follow if the balloting continued for several days, but those were not invoked in this conclave. He maintained the rule established by [Paul VI](/source/Pope_Paul_VI) that cardinals who reached the age of eighty before the day the pope died would not participate in the balloting.

In previous conclaves, the cardinal electors lived in the [Sistine Chapel](/source/Sistine_Chapel) precincts throughout the balloting. Conditions were spartan and difficult for the cardinals with health problems. Showers and bathroom facilities were shared and sleeping areas separated by curtains.[2] John Paul kept the voting in the Sistine Chapel, but provided for the cardinal electors when not balloting to live, dine, and sleep in air-conditioned individual rooms in [Domus Sanctae Marthae](/source/Domus_Sanctae_Marthae), better known by its Italian name Casa Santa Marta, a five-story building that was completed in 1996, that normally serves as a guesthouse for visiting clergy.

The cardinals departed from his instructions only in that they did not assemble in the [Pauline Chapel](/source/Cappella_Paolina). Restoration work begun in 2002 required a change of venue,[3] and they used the Hall of Blessings instead.

### Cardinal electors

Main article: [Cardinal electors in the 2005 conclave](/source/Cardinal_electors_in_the_2005_conclave)

Cardinal electors by region Region Number Italy 20 Rest of Europe 38 North America 22 South America 12 Asia 10 Oceania 2 Africa 11 Total 115

Although there were 183 cardinals in total, cardinals aged 80 years or more at the time the papacy became vacant were ineligible to vote in the conclave, according to the rules established by [Pope Paul VI](/source/Pope_Paul_VI) in 1970 and modified slightly in 1996 by Pope John Paul II.[1] At the time of Pope John Paul's death, there were 117 cardinals under the age of 80.[a]

The cardinal electors came from slightly over fifty nations, a slight increase from the 49 represented at the 1978 conclave. About 30 of those countries had a single participant. The Italian electors were the most numerous with 20, while the United States had the second largest group with 11. Poor health prevented two of the 117 cardinal electors from attending: [Jaime Sin](/source/Jaime_Sin) of the [Philippines](/source/Philippines) and [Adolfo Antonio Suárez Rivera](/source/Adolfo_Antonio_Su%C3%A1rez_Rivera) of [Mexico](/source/Mexico).[5][6][b] All the electors were appointed by Pope John Paul II, except for three: Jaime Sin, who was not attending, [William Wakefield Baum](/source/William_Wakefield_Baum), and Joseph Ratzinger,[8] making Baum and Ratzinger the only participants with previous conclave experience from the two conclaves of 1978.[c] With 115 cardinal electors participating, this conclave saw the largest number of cardinal electors ever to elect a pope, a number later matched by the [2013 conclave](/source/2013_conclave) and surpassed in the [2025 conclave](/source/2025_conclave). Both conclaves in 1978 had 111 electors. The required two-thirds majority needed to elect a pope in 2005 was 77 votes.

## *Papabili*

Main article: [Papabile](/source/Papabile)

Although the conclave cardinals may elect any [baptized](/source/Baptized) Catholic male,[11] the last time a non-cardinal was elected pope was in the [1378 conclave](/source/1378_conclave).[12] [Observers of papal elections](/source/Vaticanology) tend to consider, by a variety of criteria, some cardinals to be more likely to become pope than the others – these are the *papabili*, the plural for *papabile*, an Italian word loosely translated as "pope-able". Since the set of *papabili* is a matter of speculation from the press, the election of a non-*papabile* is not uncommon; recent cases are [John XXIII](/source/John_XXIII) in 1958, and both [John Paul I](/source/John_Paul_I) and [John Paul II](/source/John_Paul_II) in 1978.

On 2 January 2005, *[Time](/source/Time_(magazine))* magazine, quoting unnamed Vatican sources, stated that Cardinal [Joseph Ratzinger](/source/Joseph_Ratzinger), the [dean of the College of Cardinals](/source/Dean_of_the_College_of_Cardinals), was a frontrunner to succeed [Pope John Paul II](/source/Pope_John_Paul_II) if the pope died or became too ill to continue as pope. On 2 April 2005, upon the death of John Paul II, the *[Financial Times](/source/Financial_Times)* gave the odds of Ratzinger getting elected pope as 7–1, the lead position but close to his liberal rivals. On 18 April 2005, the beginning of the conclave, he was identified as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by *Time*.[13] In addition, Cardinal [Jorge Mario Bergoglio](/source/Pope_Francis), the [archbishop of Buenos Aires](/source/Archbishop_of_Buenos_Aires), who would later become [Pope Francis](/source/Pope_Francis) in the 2013 conclave, was also considered to be a *papabile*.[14] Other *papabili* included cardinals [Francis Arinze](/source/Francis_Arinze), [Audrys Backis](/source/Audrys_Backis), [Tarcisio Bertone](/source/Tarcisio_Bertone), [Godfried Danneels](/source/Godfried_Danneels), [Ivan Dias](/source/Ivan_Dias), [Claudio Hummes](/source/Claudio_Hummes), [Lubomyr Husar](/source/Lubomyr_Husar), [Marc Ouellet](/source/Marc_Ouellet), [Giovanni Battista Re](/source/Giovanni_Battista_Re), [Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga](/source/%C3%93scar_Rodr%C3%ADguez_Maradiaga), [Camillo Ruini](/source/Camillo_Ruini), [Christoph Schönborn](/source/Christoph_Sch%C3%B6nborn), [Angelo Scola](/source/Angelo_Scola), and [Dionigi Tettamanzi](/source/Dionigi_Tettamanzi).[15]

## Pre-conclave events

In the nine-day period of mourning following the funeral services for Pope John Paul II, the cardinals attended a Mass celebrated each day by a senior cleric, often a cardinal elector or a *papabile*, who had the opportunity to preach a homily. Celebrants included [Bernard Law](/source/Bernard_Law), [Camillo Ruini](/source/Camillo_Ruini), [Jorge Medina](/source/Jorge_Medina_(cardinal)), [Eugênio de Araújo Sales](/source/Eug%C3%AAnio_de_Ara%C3%BAjo_Sales), [Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir](/source/Nasrallah_Pierre_Sfeir), [Leonardo Sandri](/source/Leonardo_Sandri), and [Piergiorgio Silvano Nesti](/source/Piergiorgio_Silvano_Nesti).[16]

On Saturday, 9 April, in Rome, 130 cardinals, including some non-voting cardinals, met in the general congregation and agreed to Ratzinger's proposal that, while it would be unfair for a majority to restrict anyone's right to speak to the press, they might agree to such a restriction unanimously.[17][8] In *[La Repubblica](/source/La_Repubblica)*, veteran journalist [Gad Lerner](/source/Gad_Lerner) wrote that preventing "public reflection" by the cardinals "mutes their relationship to the world", deprives them of a "beneficial antidote to excessive scheming", and increased the influence of the Curia. He cited "the fertility of ideas" generated by public discussion during the two 1978 conclaves.[18]

Presiding over the pre-conclave events was the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Ratzinger.[19] For the first several days, the discussions were conducted largely in Italian, putting some cardinals at a disadvantage. Ratzinger responded to complaints by organizing simultaneous translation.[17] On 14 April, in one of the daily general congregations, they heard the first of two mandated exhortations. The preacher was [Raniero Cantalamessa](/source/Raniero_Cantalamessa), a [Capuchin friar](/source/Capuchin_friar) and church history scholar, who had for several years preached the Lenten sermons to the pope and his staff.[20][21]

On 15 April, officials and personnel who were not cardinal electors but had duties during the conclave formally took their oath of secrecy.[22] Their oath bound them to secrecy about anything they would observe in the course of their duties throughout the papal conclave, under pain of punishment at the discretion of the incoming pope. The oath was administered in the Hall of Blessings in the presence of Camerlengo Eduardo Martínez Somalo and two masters of ceremonies.

One round of [balloting](/source/Ballot) was to be held the first evening. The balloting would then continue until a new pope was elected, with two ballots each morning and two each afternoon. The traditional procedure is that the ballots are burned, in times past reinforced by adding handfuls of dry or damp straw, to produce white smoke for a conclusive vote or black smoke for an inconclusive one. The straw had been replaced by chemically produced smoke. The ballot slips were to be burned at 12:00 and 19:00, Rome time (10:00 and 17:00 [UTC](/source/Coordinated_Universal_Time)) each day.

## Conclave

### Day one

On 18 April, the cardinals assembled in St. Peter's Basilica in the morning to concelebrate the Mass *pro eligendo Romano Pontifice* (lit. 'for the election of the Roman Pontiff'). As the dean of the College of Cardinals, [Joseph Ratzinger](/source/Joseph_Ratzinger) was the principal concelebrant and gave the homily himself.[23][24][25] In the afternoon, the cardinal electors assembled in the Hall of Blessings for the procession to the Sistine Chapel.[26] The cardinal electors proceeded to the Sistine Chapel while the [Litany of Saints](/source/Litany_of_Saints) was chanted. After taking their places, the *[Veni Creator Spiritus](/source/Veni_Creator_Spiritus)* ("Come, Creator Spirit") was sung. Cardinal Ratzinger read the oath. Each cardinal elector, beginning with Ratzinger and followed by Vice Dean Angelo Sodano and the other cardinals in order of seniority, affirmed the oath by placing his hands on the book of the [Gospels](/source/Gospel) saying aloud: "And I, [name], do so promise, pledge, and swear. So help me God and these Holy Gospels, which I touch with my hand."

Archbishop [Piero Marini](/source/Piero_Marini), the [papal master of ceremonies](/source/Office_for_the_Liturgical_Celebrations_of_the_Supreme_Pontiff), intoned the words *[Extra omnes](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/extra_omnes#Phrase)* ("Everybody out!"), and the members of the choir, security guards, and others left the chapel. The doors of the chapel were then closed. Cardinal [Tomáš Špidlík](/source/Tom%C3%A1%C5%A1_%C5%A0pidl%C3%ADk), a non-elector and a Jesuit theologian, delivered the second required exhortation. He and Marini then left.[20][21]

#### First ballot

According to the Italian daily *[Il Messaggero](/source/Il_Messaggero)*, [Carlo Maria Martini](/source/Carlo_Maria_Martini), the archbishop of Milan, obtained 40 votes on the first ballot, Ratzinger obtained 38 votes, and [Camillo Ruini](/source/Camillo_Ruini) a substantial number of votes, the rest of the votes being dispersed.[27] An anonymous cardinal provided his diary to an Italian journalist in September 2005,[28] and it was published in full in 2011.[29] That source gave the results of the first ballot as:[30]

Cardinals Votes Joseph Ratzinger 47 Jorge Bergoglio 10 Carlo Maria Martini 9 Camillo Ruini 6 Angelo Sodano 4 Oscar Maradiaga 3 Dionigi Tettamanzi 2 Giacomo Biffi 1 Others 33

At 20:05 [CEST](/source/Central_European_Summer_Time), a thin white plume of smoke seemed for a moment to indicate the election was already over, and the 40,000 people who had spent the afternoon watching the ceremonies on large screens in St. Peter's Square broke into applause and song. But the smoke quickly grew stronger and clearly dark. The crowd quieted and cleared in a matter of minutes.[31]

### Day two

#### Second ballot

The two ballots on the morning of the second day failed to result in an election. The results of the second ballot, according to the anonymous cardinal's diary, were:[30]

Cardinals Votes Joseph Ratzinger 65 Jorge Bergoglio 35 Angelo Sodano 4 Dionigi Tettamanzi 2 Giacomo Biffi 1 Others 8

#### Third ballot

The results of the third ballot, according to the anonymous cardinal's diary, were:[30][d]

Cardinals Votes Joseph Ratzinger 72 Jorge Bergoglio 40 Giacomo Biffi 1 Darío Castrillón Hoyos 1 Others 1

Tens of thousands of people waiting in St Peter's Square reacted with timid applause and then silence a little before noon when smoke of indeterminate color appeared and the lack of bell-ringing indicated that the morning's ballotting was inconclusive.[33] Press speculation held that "A pope who was elected tonight at the fourth-fifth ballot or tomorrow morning at the sixth-seventh would still be a pontiff elected promptly. Beyond that perhaps some problems might arise."[33]

Cardinal Biffi consistently received one vote in each ballot of the conclave. He reportedly told a fellow cardinal that, if he found out who this one voter was, he would slap him. Shocked, the cardinal told Biffi that the one voter was Cardinal Ratzinger, who would be elected pope on the next ballot.[34]

By this point, Cardinal Ratzinger had emerged as a strong contender for the papacy and recounted in an April 2005 audience to German pilgrims that he felt as though he was beneath the metaphorical axe of papal election, and his head began to spin. However, a fellow cardinal, later revealed to be [Christoph Schönborn](/source/Christoph_Sch%C3%B6nborn), encouraged Ratzinger, reminding him of his quotation of the [Calling of Matthew](/source/Calling_of_Matthew) in his funeral homily for John Paul II and applying it to Ratzinger.[35][36]

Initially, at the conclave, "[the question] was, if not Ratzinger, who? And as they came to know him, the question became, why not Ratzinger?"[37]

#### Fourth ballot

The results of the fourth ballot, according to the anonymous cardinal's diary, were:[30]

Cardinals Votes Joseph Ratzinger 84 Jorge Bergoglio 26 Bernard Law 2 Giacomo Biffi 1 Christoph Schönborn 1 Others 2

Given that Ratzinger, the dean of the College of Cardinals, was elected pope, [Angelo Sodano](/source/Angelo_Sodano) as the vice-dean performed the dean's role and asked Ratzinger whether he would accept the election and what name he would adopt.[38]

As the voting slips and notes were burnt after that ballot, "All of a sudden, the whole Sistine Chapel was filled with smoke," according to [Adrianus Johannes Simonis](/source/Adrianus_Johannes_Simonis).[39] [Christoph Schönborn](/source/Christoph_Sch%C3%B6nborn) joked: "Fortunately, there were no art historians present."

At 17:50 CEST (15:50 UTC), white smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel. The bells of St. Peter's pealed at about 18:10 CEST.[38]

At 18:43 CEST (16:43 UTC), Cardinal Protodeacon [Jorge Medina](/source/Jorge_Medina_(cardinal)), emerged on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to [announce](/source/Habemus_papam) the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who took the name *Benedict XVI*.[38]

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** John Paul II had appointed one cardinal secretly (*[in pectore](/source/In_pectore)*) in 2003, but never revealed that person's identity.[4]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Some reports said Cardinal Sin had hoped for medical clearance to travel. He died in June.[7]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** The [1903 conclave](/source/1903_conclave) had only one elector with previous conclave experience[9] and the [1823 conclave](/source/1823_conclave) only two,[10] a function of the age at which cardinals are appointed and the length of a pontificate. The 1878 conclave had three cardinals who had participated in the 1846 conclave.[9]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-36)** According to Italian newspapers, Ratzinger had reached or exceeded the required 77 votes on the third ballot, but asked for a vote of confirmation in the afternoon.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] One account of the election of [John Paul I](/source/Pope_John_Paul_I) says he did this in 1978.[32] According to some interpretations this would not be in conformity with the laws governing the conclave.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-UDG_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-UDG_1-1) Pope John Paul II (22 February 1996). ["Universi Dominici Gregis"](https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_22021996_universi-dominici-gregis.html). *The Holy See*. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved 7 September 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Pham, John-Peter (2004). [*Heirs of the Fisherman: Behind the Scenes of Papal Death and Succession*](https://archive.org/details/heirsoffisherman00pham). Oxford University Press. p. [125](https://archive.org/details/heirsoffisherman00pham/page/125). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780195346350](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780195346350). Retrieved 17 September 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["The restoration of the Pauline Chapel"](http://mv.vatican.va/4_ES/pages/z-Patrons/MV_Patrons_07_01.html). Vatican Museums. Retrieved 29 January 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Boudreaux, Richard (7 April 2005). ["Mystery Cardinal Will Never Be Able to Join Peers"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-apr-07-fg-secret7-story.html). *Los Angeles Times*. Retrieved 7 September 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-silence_6-0)** ["Les cardinaux décident le silence média"](http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/monde/20050409.OBS3509/les-cardinaux-decident-le-silence-media.html). *Le Nouvel Observateur* (in French). 22 April 2005. Retrieved 24 August 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Collins, Paul (2005). [*God's New Man: The Election of Benedict XVI and the Legacy of John Paul II*](https://books.google.com/books?id=URqJtxRCoekC&pg=PA128). Continuum. p. 128. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780826480156](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780826480156). Retrieved 24 August 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** O'Donnell, Michelle (21 June 2005). ["Cardinal Jaime Sin, a Champion of the Poor in the Philippines, Is Dead at 76"](https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/21/obituaries/cardinal-jaime-sin-a-champion-of-the-poor-in-the-philippines-is.html). *The New York Times*. Retrieved 24 August 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-mossa_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-mossa_10-1) Politi, Marco (10 April 2015). ["La mossa di Ratzinger per il silenzio dei cardinali"](http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2005/04/10/la-mossa-di-ratzinger-per-il-silenzio.html). **La Repubblica** (in Italian). Retrieved 26 August 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-fjb195_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-fjb195_11-1) Baumgartner, Frederic J. (2003). [*Behind Locked Doors: A History of the Papal Elections*](https://archive.org/details/behindlockeddoor00fred). Palgrave Macmillan. pp. [195](https://archive.org/details/behindlockeddoor00fred/page/195)–196, 201. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780312294632](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780312294632).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Burkle-Young, Francis A. (2000). *Papal Elections in the Age of Transition, 1878-1922*. Lexington Books. pp. 25–26. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780739101148](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780739101148).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Technically, Nicholas II's *[In nomine Domini](/source/In_nomine_Domini)* bull of 1059 laid down that the electors could choose from "another church" if there was no suitable candidate within the Roman church.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** [Miranda, Salvador](/source/Salvador_Miranda_(historian)). ["Conclaves of the 14th Century (1303-1394)"](https://cardinals.fiu.edu/conclave-xiv.htm#1378). *The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183708/http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/conclave-xiv.htm#1378) from the original on 3 March 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Time_100_16-0)** Sullivan, Andrew (18 April 2005). ["Time 100 2005"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100618214719/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1972656_1972691_1973018,00.html). *Time*. Archived from [the original](http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1972656_1972691_1973018,00.html) on 18 June 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-National_Catholic_Reporter_17-0)** Allen Jr., John L. (14 April 2005). ["Handicapping the conclave"](http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/update/conclave/pt041405a.htm). *National Catholic Reporter*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120806032925/http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/update/conclave/pt041405a.htm) from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** [https://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=36564](https://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=36564)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Wakin, Daniel J. (9 April 2005). ["A Time for Mourning, but Also for Study and Very Quiet Politics"](https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/09/world/worldspecial2/a-time-for-mourning-but-also-for-study-and-very-quiet.html). *The New York Times*. Retrieved 24 August 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-kaiser_20-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-kaiser_20-1) Kaiser, Robert Blair (2006). *A Church in Search of Itself: Benedict XVI and the Battle for the Future*. Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 201, 208–210.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Lasciate parlare i cardinali"](http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2005/04/12/lasciate-parlare-cardinali.html) [Let the cardinals speak]. *La Repubblica* (in Italian). 12 April 2005. Retrieved 26 August 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** Guerriero, Elio (2018). [*Benedict XVI: His Life and Thought*](https://archive.org/details/benedictxvihisli0000guer). San Francisco: Ignatius Press. p. [455](https://archive.org/details/benedictxvihisli0000guer/page/455/mode/1up?q=%22Palace+of+the+Holy+Office%22). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-62164-183-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-62164-183-4) – via Internet Archive.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-preachers_23-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-preachers_23-1) Allen Jr., John L. (13 April 2005). ["Two conclave preachers are open, ecumenical"](http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/update/conclave/pt041305a.htm). *National Catholic Reporter*. Retrieved 24 August 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-walsh52_24-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-walsh52_24-1) Walsh, Mary Ann (2005). [*From Pope John Paul II to Benedict XVI*](https://books.google.com/books?id=_jqs9rD39ewC&pg=PA52). Rowman and Littlefield. pp. 52–53, 93. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781580512022](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781580512022). Retrieved 24 August 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** ["Notificazione: Giuramento degli Officiali e degli Addetti al Conclave"](https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2005/documents/ns_lit_doc_20050415_giuramento-conclave_it.html) (Press release) (in Italian). Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice. 7 April 2005. Retrieved 27 August 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** Kaiser, Robert Blair (2006). [*A Church in Search of Itself: Benedict XVI and the Battle for the Future*](https://books.google.com/books?id=u4JRU70LVoQC&pg=PT209). Knopf. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780307424280](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780307424280). Retrieved 23 August 2017. Ratzinger could have delegated anyone to give the homily, but he delivered it himself.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Ratzinger_Homily_27-0)** ["Homily of His Eminence Card. Joseph Ratzinger, Dean of the College of Cardinals (English version)"](https://www.vatican.va/gpII/documents/homily-pro-eligendo-pontifice_20050418_en.html). Vatican.va. Retrieved 10 January 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Pro_Eligendo_Press_release_28-0)** ["Solemn Eucharistic celebration with the Votive Mass "Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice": Announcement"](https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2005/documents/ns_lit_doc_20050418_messa-pro-eligendo_it.html) (in Italian). Vatican.va. Retrieved 10 January 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Procession_announcement_29-0)** ["Notificazione: Ingresso in Conclave"](https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2005/documents/ns_lit_doc_20050418_ingresso-conclave_it.html) [Notice: Entrance into Conclave] (in Italian). Vatican.va. Retrieved 13 January 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-30)** Frattini, Eric (2008). [*L'entità*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ZdmlSB3efvgC&pg=PT337) (in Italian). Fazi Editore. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9788864113456](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9788864113456). Retrieved 30 May 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-brunelli_31-0)** Brunelli, Lucio (23 September 2005). ["I segreti del Conclave "Così vinse Ratzinger""](http://www.repubblica.it/2005/i/sezioni/esteri/benedetto/segretielez/segretielez.html) (in Italian). Retrieved 30 May 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-32)** Tornielli, Andrea (27 July 2011). ["Il diario segreto dell'ultimo conclave"](http://www.lastampa.it/2011/07/27/vaticaninsider/il-diario-segreto-dellultimo-conclave-vB9KtvKIoPNkP37nFamU2N/pagina.html). *La Stampa* (in Italian). Retrieved 30 May 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-spills_33-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-spills_33-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-spills_33-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-spills_33-3) ["Cardinal Spills Secrets from Conclave"](https://www.foxnews.com/story/cardinal-spills-secrets-from-conclave/). Fox News. Associated Press. 23 September 2005. Retrieved 16 August 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-34)** ["Conclave, nera la prima fumata grande delusione tra i fedeli"](http://www.repubblica.it/2005/d/sezioni/esteri/papa20/prifu/prifu.html). *La Repubblica* (in Italian). 18 April 2005. Retrieved 25 August 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-passing_35-0)** Burke-Young, Francis A. (1999). "Passing the Keys: Modern Cardinals, Conclaves, and the Election of the Next Pope". Madison Books. pp. 257–258. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781568332321](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781568332321). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [48917608](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/48917608).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-terzo_37-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-terzo_37-1) ["Conclave, terzo scrutinio, fumata nera; In difficoltà il favorito Ratzinger?"](http://www.repubblica.it/2005/d/sezioni/esteri/papa20/rifumnera/rifumnera.html). *La Repubblica* (in Italian). 19 April 2005. Retrieved 26 August 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-38)** ["E' morto l'arcivescovo emerito Giacomo Biffi, il teologo della "città sazia e disperata""](https://www.ilrestodelcarlino.it/bologna/cronaca/morto-arcivescovo-emerito-giacomo-biffi-448b60dc). *Il Resto del Carlino* (in Italian). 11 July 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-39)** ["To the German pilgrims gathered in Rome for the inauguration ceremony of the Pontificate (April 25, 2005) | BENEDICT XVI"](https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2005/april/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20050425_german-pilgrims.html). *www.vatican.va*. Retrieved 23 January 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-40)** ["Cardinal Schönborn Calls Archbishop Gänswein Book 'Unseemly Indiscretion,' Confirms Key Detail of Benedict Papacy"](https://www.ncregister.com/cna/cardinal-schoenborn-calls-archbishop-gaenswein-book-unseemly-indiscretion-confirms-key-detail-of-benedict-papacy). *NCR*. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-goodstein_41-0)** Goodstein, Laurie and Elisabetta Povoledo. ["Before Smoke Rises at Vatican, It's Romans vs. the Reformers,"](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/11/world/europe/among-cardinals-deep-divisions-over-next-pope.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160722190622/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/11/world/europe/among-cardinals-deep-divisions-over-next-pope.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) 22 July 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) *The New York Times*. 11 March 2013; Ivereigh, Austen. ["Does cardinal confusion spell a long conclave?"](http://www.osvdailytake.com/2013/03/ivereigh-in-rome-does-cardinal.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130316114559/http://www.osvdailytake.com/2013/03/ivereigh-in-rome-does-cardinal.html) 16 March 2013 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) *Our Sunday Visitor*. 11 March By Austen Ivereigh; excerpt, "A former communications director to the Archbishop emeritus of Westminster (England), Cardinal [Cormac Murphy-O'Connor](/source/Cormac_Murphy-O'Connor), he accompanied the cardinal to Rome in 2005 for the funeral of Pope John Paul II and election of Pope Benedict XVI". Retrieved 12 March 2013.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-allen116_42-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-allen116_42-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-allen116_42-2) Allen Jr., John L. (2005). [*The Rise of Benedict XVI: The Inside Story of How the Pope was Elected and Where He Will Take the Catholic Church*](https://books.google.com/books?id=jXhRFZDK8HIC&pg=PT105). Doubleday. pp. 116–118. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780307424105](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780307424105). Retrieved 24 August 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-43)** ["Un cardinale racconta Problemi con le fumate"](http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2005/04/21/un-cardinale-racconta-problemi-con-le-fumate.html). *La Repubblica* (in Italian). 21 April 2005. Retrieved 25 August 2017.

**Sources**

- Allen, John L. Jr. (2005). [*The Rise of Benedict XVI: The inside story of how the pope was elected and where it will take the Catholic Church*](https://archive.org/details/riseofbenedictxv00alle). Doubleday Religion. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-385-51320-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-385-51320-8).

- Greeley, Andrew M. (2005). *The Making of the Pope: 2005*. Brown, Little. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-316-86149-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-316-86149-9).

- Weigel, George (2005). [*God's Choice: Pope Benedict XVI and the Future of the Catholic Church*](https://archive.org/details/godschoicepopebe00weig). HarperCollins. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-06-621331-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-06-621331-2).

## External links

- [Vacancy of the Apostolic See](https://www.vatican.va/gpII/documents/index_en.htm) (official website)

- [*Universi Dominici gregis* – the rules governing the election](https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_22021996_universi-dominici-gregis_en.html)

- ["Papal chase"](https://web.archive.org/web/20050403035135/http://slate.msn.com/id/2089815/), 15 October 2003 ([Slate.com](/source/Slate.com))

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v t e Pope Benedict XVI Born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022 Archbishop of Munich and Freising (1977–1982) Cardinal Priest of Santa Maria Consolatrice al Tiburtino (1977–1993) Cardinal Bishop of Velletri–Segni (1993–2005) Pope (2005–2013) Biography Early life Georg Ratzinger (brother) Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Papacy 2005 conclave Inauguration Cardinals created People declared venerable Beatifications Canonizations Summorum Pontificum Resignation Death and funeral Visits (selected) United States United Kingdom (state visit) Bibliography Constitutions Anglicanorum coetibus Exhortations Sacramentum caritatis Verbum Domini Africae munus Ecclesia in Medio Oriente Encyclicals Deus caritas est Spe salvi Caritas in veritate Books Introduction to Christianity The Ratzinger Report Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life The Spirit of the Liturgy Truth and Tolerance Jesus of Nazareth From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration Holy Week The Infancy Narratives Relations Ecumenism Judaism Islam Other topics Ceremonial Coat of arms Ratzinger Foundation Theology Hermeneutic of continuity Vatican leaks scandal His Holiness: The Secret Papers of Benedict XVI Alma Mater (2009 album) Secrets of the Vatican (2014 television film) The Two Popes (2019 film) Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [2005 conclave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_conclave) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_conclave?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.