Camerlengo
The Camerlengo is the direct representative of the Curia, he can speak on its behalf and is accountable only to the Pope and the College of Cardinal electors.
Election of the Camerlengo
The Camerlengo is elected for six months by all the cardinals from among the Roman cardinal members of the Congregation. The Camerlengo takes office on 1 April and 1 October.
Any Roman cardinal member of the Congregation who has been appointed to this latter office for at least six full months at the time of the first ballot is eligible. If no candidate meets the conditions, the list of candidates may be extended to all Roman congregational cardinals without any conditions regarding length of service. If this is still not enough, the list may be extended to all cardinal electors and, finally, to the entire Curia.
All eligible candidates automatically enter the contest. However, they may voluntarily withdraw before each round of voting.
All cardinals of the Roman Curia vote, whether they are national or Roman cardinals, electors, suffragans or emeritus.
The election of the Camerlengo may be held in a maximum of four rounds. To be elected, a candidate must receive an absolute majority of the votes.
A quorum of strictly more than fifty per cent (50%) of the cardinals eligible to vote is required for an election in the first round. When another round is necessary, only the candidates with the highest percentage qualify, according to the following methods:
- No more than four candidates may qualify for the second round, if it takes place, and all must have received more than 15% of the votes;
- No more than three candidates may qualify for the third round, if it takes place, and all must have received more than 20% of the votes;
- No more than two candidates may qualify for the fourth and final round, if it takes place.
When no candidate reaches the required percentage threshold of votes, the two candidates with the highest percentage qualify for the final round.
Ties are resolved by discarding as many candidates as necessary to meet the requirements of the preceding articles, starting with the candidates most recently appointed to the Curia.
Function
The Camerlengo:
- Holds the rights reserved for Roman Cardinals in addition to his own.
- In the absence of the Pope and the Constable, appoints the supreme commander of the Holy Armies.
- Appoints the Archdeacon of Rome and determines his duties.
There can be no more than one Camerlengo in office, so the incumbent loses his title upon the appointment of his successor.
The causal quadriptych:
- The material cause = He must have been a Roman cardinal for six months at the time of his appointment.
- The efficient cause = He is appointed by the Curia (cardinal electors and suffragans).
- The formal cause = He is installed by the outgoing Camerlengo or Archdeacon of Rome.
- The final cause = In the event of the Pope's absence or incapacity, he acts as his representative of the Church.
