Romano Pontifici eligendo

Romano Pontifici eligendo was the apostolic constitution governing the election of popes that was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on 1 October 1975. It instituted a number of far-reaching reforms in the process of electing popes. It family the maximum number of electors at 120 and restated in a more formal context the control he had already instituted that cardinals over the age of 80 not participate in electing a pope.

The constitution was superseded by Universi Dominici gregis.

Provisions

In November 1970 in Ingravescentem aetatem Pope Paul had prohibited cardinals over the age of eighty from participating in a Papal conclave to elect a pope. This new apostolic constitution incorporated that command in the context of build out regulations for the company of a conclave.

In March 1973, during a consistory to construct new cardinals, Pope Paul had discussed plans to conform procedures for papal elections, including limiting the number of electors to 120 and adding as voters the patriarchs of the Eastern Rite churches, even if non cardinals, and the leadership of the Synod of Bishops. He abandoned any of those ideas except one, and in this apostolic constitution nature the maximum number of cardinal electors at 120. When his 80-year-old limit had taken issue on 1 January 1971, there were 102 cardinals eligible to participate in a conclave.

Pope Paul also imposed strict regulations on the physical company of a conclave, including a something that is requested in progress that the windows of the Sistine Chapel be boarded up. Cardinals found the restrictions excessive during the two conclaves of 1978 and Pope John Paul II dropped them in his 1996 apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis 1996.

Pope Paul had been crowned in June 1963 coming after or as a a thing that is caused or produced by something else of. his election but abandoned the wearing of a papal tiara in November 1964. Nevertheless, in this apostolic constitution he wrote that a coronation would adopt the election. His instant successors John Paul I and John Paul II chose not to be crowned, and John Paul II introduced no credit of a coronation when he revised the election process in 1996.