This paper retraces the history of episcopal elections, highlighting their evolution from a purely religious event into one laden with political implications. Politics influences the Church both ad intra, because it is itself a social institution, and ad extra, stemming from its historical interaction with temporal powers. The external political influence is exemplified by the ius exclusivae exercised by Catholic states, formally abolished at the beginning of the twentieth century. The elimination of the right of veto, however, has not freed the Pope's election from political pressures, given that he is a global leader and wields undeniable transnational political authority. The essay illustrates these aspects, explaining how the last conclave was influenced by both the reforms enacted by Benedict XVI and the evolving geopolitics of the College of Cardinals under Pope Francis. This demonstrates how papal succession is also a question of continuity/discontinuity regarding the political action (internal and external) exercised by the previous pontiff. Finally, the paper highlights how the election of Cardinal Robert F. Prevost (Leo XIV) is a consequence of these dynamics, which point less to the identification of a specific person and more to the selection of a religiously and politically capable profile that can ensure both continuity and discontinuity.
Il saggio ripercorre la storia dell'elezione episcopale evidenziandone l’evoluzione da evento puramente religioso a fatto con implicazioni politiche. La dimensione politica influenza la Chiesa sia ad intra, perché è essa stessa un’istituzione sociale, sia ad extra, per la sua originale interazione coi poteri temporali. L’influenza politica esterna è dimostrata dallo ius exclusivae esercitato dagli Stati cattolici e formalmente abolito all'inizio del Novecento. L’eliminazione del diritto di veto non ha tuttavia sottratto l’elezione del Papa a pressioni politiche. Egli è certamente un leader mondiale ed esercita un'indubbia autorità politica transnazionale. Il saggio illustra questi aspetti e spiega come le riforme del conclave operate da Benedetto XVI e la mutata geopolitica del Collegio cardinalizio voluta da Papa Francesco hanno influenzato l’ultimo conclave. Si dimostra che la successione papale è anche una questione di continuità/discontinuità rispetto all’azione politica (interna ed esterna) esercitata dal precedente pontefice. Si mette infine in luce come l’elezione del card. Robert F. Prevost (Leone XIV) sia una conseguenza di tali dinamiche, che non portano tanto all’individuazione di una determinata persona, quanto all’indicazione di un profilo religiosamente e politicamente in grado di assicurare continuità e discontinuità.
Geopolitica del conclave. L’intreccio fra politica e religione per comprendere un rito sacro
Consorti Pierluigi
2025-01-01
Abstract
This paper retraces the history of episcopal elections, highlighting their evolution from a purely religious event into one laden with political implications. Politics influences the Church both ad intra, because it is itself a social institution, and ad extra, stemming from its historical interaction with temporal powers. The external political influence is exemplified by the ius exclusivae exercised by Catholic states, formally abolished at the beginning of the twentieth century. The elimination of the right of veto, however, has not freed the Pope's election from political pressures, given that he is a global leader and wields undeniable transnational political authority. The essay illustrates these aspects, explaining how the last conclave was influenced by both the reforms enacted by Benedict XVI and the evolving geopolitics of the College of Cardinals under Pope Francis. This demonstrates how papal succession is also a question of continuity/discontinuity regarding the political action (internal and external) exercised by the previous pontiff. Finally, the paper highlights how the election of Cardinal Robert F. Prevost (Leo XIV) is a consequence of these dynamics, which point less to the identification of a specific person and more to the selection of a religiously and politically capable profile that can ensure both continuity and discontinuity.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
