The Secret Cardinal

44

After the ballot papers for the afternoon session were distributed, the junior cardinal deacon ushered the master of papal liturgical ceremonies and the masters of ceremonies out of the Sistine Chapel and closed the doors. The cardinals were once more in conclave.

From his seat near the altar, Donoher studied his fellow cardinals, wondering what kinds of subtle deal-making had transpired during the midday break. Ryff, the German, effectively scuttled his candidacy the previous evening, throwing his support behind Magni. It was a shrewd move, and one that played on the old adage that fat Popes followed skinny ones. At sixty-nine and with proportions matching those of Pope John XXIII, Magni’s pontificate would certainly be far shorter than Leo’s impressive reign. In supporting Magni, Ryff demonstrated solidarity with the European cardinals, who as a block controlled nearly fifty percent of the votes. The German cardinal could afford to wait, and his sacrifice would not be forgotten the next time around.

Though Magni surged to thirty-three votes in the morning’s second ballot, it was clear that Europe wasn’t voting as a monolithic bloc. In his conversations between sessions, Donoher detected in some of Europe’s non-Italian cardinals a sentiment that the wrong European stepped aside. Donoher also noted that the loss of Gagliardi took some of the wind out of the unified Italians’ sails.

Escalante garnered twenty-five votes, drawing support not only from Latin America but portions of the United States, Canada, and the Philippines. Oromo’s candidacy was unusual in that it combined the undeniable growing importance of Africa to the Roman Catholic Church with a charismatic man who promised to be a staunch defender of the faith and a powerful voice to the Third World. As a Vatican insider, the Sudanese cardinal was well known by his fellows in the college, and this familiarity, Donoher believed, helped him retain his base of support through the consolidating ballots.

Yin and Velu, too, held onto their core of support, and even gathered a few additional votes, though not enough as yet to threaten the front-runners. Donoher was certain that those two names were the subject of much discussion during the break, with cardinals hoping Velu would follow Ryff’s example and others politely lobbying against the quixotic candidacy of the endangered Bishop of Shanghai.

Ryff rose from his seat near the center of the chapel, beneath Michelangelo’s Creation of Eve.

‘My Most Eminent Lord,’ the German called out, his voice directed at the Camerlengo, ‘a question, if I may, before the next vote.’

Donoher nodded. All eyes were on Ryff.

‘Is there any news of Bishop Yin?’ Ryff asked.

After scuttling his own candidacy, the German became the perfect choice of the Europeans to address this issue. If asked by any of the remaining papabili, the question might have appeared self-serving, an attempt to free up fifteen votes, but from Ryff it expressed the sincere curiosity of the conclave.

What Donoher found interesting about Yin’s support, at least as he perceived it, was that it came from all over the globe. The other papabili found initial backing from ethnic or geographic blocs, then drew in uncommitted electors as they gained momentum. Yin’s core defied conventional wisdom, and Donoher believed these electors represented a different dynamic in this conclave — an expression of pure faith that God had given them a sign.

‘Bishop Yin and his liberators are at present seeking a way out of China. At the same time, the Chinese government is vigorously attempting to prevent his departure. The situation is dire but not without hope. I am certain the Bishop of Shanghai remains in your prayers as he does in mine during this most difficult time.’

Murmurs of approval rippled through the chapel, the desire for the safe deliverance of those in danger unanimous among the cardinal electors.

‘And now,’ Donoher continued, ‘with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, let us continue with the sacred task of electing the next supreme pontiff.’

‘Oromo,’ Cain announced, reading off the final ballot.

Donoher didn’t need to hear the name called to know that after three days the conclave remained deadlocked. Though the tallies varied by a few votes, the order of the candidates remained unchanged.

The ballots and notes were again collected and burned, the coils of black smoke symbolic of the dour mood that permeated the chapel. After nine rounds of balloting, the cardinals were no closer to electing a new Pope than on the opening day of the conclave. They felt the eyes of the world’s Catholics upon them, a billion souls urging them to choose wisely and challenging them to rise above the status quo.

Yet the man who held the narrowest of leads in the balloting was also the safest, least objectionable of the papabili, the embodiment of time-honored Vatican tradition. Pope Leo XIV would be a tough act to follow, but the waiting Church wanted and needed an encore.

Donoher left his seat, said a brief prayer before the altar, and turned to face the other cardinals.

‘My Esteemed Brothers, I believe our present impasse requires a pause in our deliberations. Per article seventy-four of the Apostolic Constitution, I suspend voting for one day to provide us with time for prayer and reflection.’