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Papal conclave, 1914

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The Papal conclave of 1914 was held to choose a successor Pope Pius X, who had died in the Vatican on 20 August 1914.

Contents

Political context

The Sistine Chapel, location of the 1914 conclave
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The Sistine Chapel, location of the 1914 conclave

With Europe facing World War I whoever was selected would face the difficulty of leading the Holy See through the war to end all wars, in which Catholic Belgium and France were attacked by Protestant Germany, which was supported by Catholic Austria while the Protestant United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (including Catholic Ireland) and Russian Orthodox Russia sided with France. Critics wondered whether the Holy See should remain neutral or whether it should assume a position of moral leadership by casting public judgments on the behaviour of the various combatants.

The conclave brought together cardinals from the combatant nations, including Károl Cardinal von Hörnig from Austria-Hungary Louis-Henri Cardinal Luçon from France, Felix Cardinal von Hartmann from Germany and two from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Francis Cardinal Bourne (from England & Wales) and Michael Cardinal Logue (from Ireland).

Veto abolished

Benedict XV - winner of the 1914 conclave
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Benedict XV - winner of the 1914 conclave

After the lying-in-state and funeral of the popular but controversial Pope Pius X, cardinals assembled for the conclave at the end of August 1914. One major difference with earlier conclaves was that this time no secular monarch possessed a veto over whomever the cardinals could select as pope. For the first time in centuries the cardinals alone would make the choice.

New pope

The conclave itself assembled in the Sistine Chapel on 31 August. On 3 September 1914, on the tenth ballot, Giacomo Cardinal della Chiesa, Archbishop of Bologna in Italy was elected pope and took the name Pope Benedict XV.

Reportedly della Chisea had been elected by one vote. Raphael Cardinal Merry del Val insisted that the ballots be checked to insure that della Chiesa hadn’t voted for himself - which he hadn’t. When the cardinals offered their homage to the new pope, Benedict allegedly said to Merry del Val, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” To which the unabashed Merry del Val replied with the next verse of Psalm 118: “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”

Conclave factfile

PAPAL CONCLAVE, 1914
LENGTH OF CONCLAVE 4 days

NUMBER OF BALLOTS 10

ELECTORS 65

Absent 8

Present 57

Africa 0

Latin America 1

North America 1

Asia 0

Europe 55

Oceania 0

Mid-East 0

Italians 33

VETO USED? abolished

DECEASED POPE PIUS X (1903-1914)
NEW POPE BENEDICT XV (1914-1922)

Papal Conclaves 1800–2005

1800 | 1823 | 1829 | 1830–1831 | 1846 | 1878 | 1903 | 1914
1922 | 1939 | 1958 | 1963 | 1978 (August) | 1978 (October) | 2005

 

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