Why can’t a woman be elected Pope of Rome? How is the Vatican’s strict protocol for the papal conclave?
Only cardinals under the age of 80, who are male and Catholic, are allowed to vote in the election of the new pontiff.
Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, the Sede Vacante began—a special period in the Catholic Church during which a series of protocols are activated to ensure an orderly transition. This period ends with the election of a new pope in the Conclave, which will begin on May 7.
Everything surrounding the Conclave is filled with secrecy, peculiarities, and rules rooted in centuries-old tradition that is nearly impossible to break. A clear example is the inability of a woman to become the Pope of Rome.
Why can’t a woman become Pope?
The first thing to understand is that the procedure the Catholic Church follows to choose its new leader has remained largely unchanged for nearly eight centuries. Rules such as only cardinals under 80 being eligible to vote, and that all voters must be male and Catholic, still apply in the papal conclave.
In other words, the election of the new Bishop of Rome is a deeply traditional process, governed by the Code of Canon Law, which is the set of laws regulating the Catholic Church. This code specifically states that one requirement to become pope is to be male.
Moreover, to become the supreme pontiff, one must be a priest, a title women are not permitted to hold, before advancing through the ranks to cardinal and bishop. In recent decades, the Catholic Church has reaffirmed that priestly ordination cannot be granted to women.
The legend of Pope Joan
Although there are no official records of a woman ever serving as pope, there is a legend about a woman named Joan who concealed her gender and became Pope of Rome. Her story is typically set between the years 855 and 857, with several versions in existence.
They all agree that Joan was born in Germany and spent much of her life in Rome, working as a teacher and disguising herself as a man. According to the legend, she was so highly educated that she rose through the ranks of the Catholic Church and was eventually elected pope as the successor to Leo IV.
Who is favourite to be the next Pope?
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