| Papal Conclave, 1963 |
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Pope John XXIII died of Cancer on June 3 in the Apostolic Palace in the middle of the Vatican Council II . He was commonly regarded as having been the most popular pope in the 20th Century to that point. ISSUES FACING THE CONCLAVE John XXIII's death left the Second Vatican Council's future in the balance. The election of an anti-Council pope could have severely curbed the Council's role and influence in Roman Catholic Church. The battle between conservatives and liberals was reflected in the struggle in the conclave between Council supporters and opponents. The leading Papabile supporter of the Council was seen as Giovanni Battista Montini , Archbishop Of Milan , while its main opponent was seen as Giuseppe Cardinal Siri , who in 1958 had been seen as Pius XII 's preferred successor. Reportedly John XXIII had sent oblique signals indicating that he thought Montini, archbishop of Milan, would make a fine pope. The conclave of 1963 was from June 19 - June 21 , in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City . THE CASE OF CARDINAL SIRI As with the 1958 Papal Conclave , rumours have persisted that Cardinal Siri received the two-thirds required for a valid election, decided he would be called Pope Gregory XVII but had announced "non accepto" (I do not accept), allegedly under pressure. Former priest Malachi Martin wrote in 1991 that Siri had indeed received the required numbers but had declined after what Martin called a "little brutality." Martin even claimed that someone in the conclave had consulted with someone outside it while the conclave was in process, a breach of conclave rules. When asked two decades later whether in both the 1958 and 1963 conclaves he had initially been elected as pontiff, Siri responded "I am bound by the secret. This secret is horrible. I would have books to write about the different conclaves. Very serious things have taken place. But I can say nothing." ELECTION OF GIOVANNI MONTINI While historians still disagree as to the credibility or otherwise to attach to the claims about Siri, there is no dispute as to the eventual winner. As expected the favourite Papabile , Giovanni Cardinal Montini, was duly elected after only 6 ballots. In a break with recent Regnal Name s, he choose to be known as Pope Paul VI . Reportedly anti-Council cardinals wanting to bring Vatican II to a swift conclusion attempted to block Montini's election in the early balloting. Gustavo Cardinal Testa, an old friend of John XXIII , then lost his temper in the Sistine Chapel, demanding that the intransigents stop impeding Montini’s path. Montini was elected the next day. FOOTNOTES |
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