The announcement is made from the central balcony (loggia) of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, overlooking St. Peter's Square. After the announcement, the new pope is presented to the people where he gives his first Urbi et Orbi blessing.
Format
The format for the announcement when a cardinal is elected pope is:[a][2]
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum;
habemus Papam:
Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum,
Dominum [first name]
Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem [surname]
qui sibi nomen imposuit [papal name].
In English, it can be translated as:
I announce to you a great joy;
we have a pope:
The most eminent and most reverend lord,
Lord [first name]
Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church [surname]
who has taken the name [papal name].
"Fear not; for, behold, I bring thee good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: For unto thee is born, this day, in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
In the Vulgate (the Latin translation of the Bible by St. Jerome), the words used are "Evangelizo vobis gaudium magnum", while the word "annuntio" was used in previous translations.
The adoption of this formula is dated from the election of Odo Colonna as Pope Martin V (1417), who was chosen as the new pope by the cardinals and representatives from different countries at the Council of Constance. In this context, prior to Martin V, there were three claimants to the papal throne: Antipope John XXIII (who had called for the council, and appointed most of the cardinal electors), Antipope Benedict XIII (the only one to have been named cardinal before the outbreak of the Western Schism) and Pope Gregory XII. The first two were deposed by the Council itself, and Gregory XII abdicated after formally convoking the already convened council and authorizing its acts including the act of electing his successor. Two years after the first two contenders were deposed[b] and the resignation of the third, the council elected the new pope. The announcement, therefore, could be interpreted as: "(Finally) we have a pope (and only one!)".[5]
The adoption of the Habemus papam formula took place prior to 1484, the year in which it was used to announce the election of Giovanni Battista Cybo, who took the name of Innocent VIII.
Announcement
In announcing the name of the newly elected pontiff, the new pontiff's birth first name is announced in Latin in the accusative case (e.g. Carolum,[6][7]Iosephum,[3][4]Georgium Marium[8][9]), but the new pontiff's surname is announced in the undeclined form (e.g. Wojtyła,[6][7]Ratzinger,[3][4]Bergoglio[8][9]). During the last century, the new papal name has often been given in the genitive case in Latin, corresponding to the translation "who takes the name of ..." (e.g. Ioannis vigesimi tertii,[10]Ioannis Pauli primi[11]), although it can also be declined in the accusative case, corresponding to the translation "who takes the name ...", as was the case in 1963 and in 2013, when Pope Paul VI's and Pope Francis's regnal names were announced as Paulum sextum[12][13] and Franciscum,[8][9] respectively. In the situation where the name is declined in the genitive, the name is considered as a complement of the noun "nomen" while in the instance where the name is declined in the accusative, it is considered as an apposition of the direct object complement nomen in the accusative. Both forms are equally correct. According to certain Latin grammarians though, like Nicola Flocchini, Piera Guidotti Bacci and the Maiorum Lingua Manual, the accusative is the more correct form.[14]
During the announcement of Pope Paul VI's election, protodeacon Alfredo Ottaviani used the conjunction et (which also means "and") instead of ac, the word usually used for "and" within the formula (he said Eminentissimum et reverendissimum instead of Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum).[12][13]
During the announcement of Pope Benedict XVI's election, his regnal name was declined by Cardinal Medina in the genitive case (he said Benedicti decimi sexti),[3][4] but in the Holy See website, the page announcing his election with a copy of the Habemus Papam formula has Benedict's regnal name declined in the accusative case (i.e., Benedictum XVI)[15]
If a papal name is used for the first time, the announcement may or may not use the numeral the first. In John Paul I's election, the numeral primi (the first) was used (Pericle Cardinal Felici announced the papal name as Ioannis Pauli primi)[11] but in Pope Francis' election, no numeral was uttered (Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran simply gave the papal name as Franciscum).[9]
The numeral in the papal name if it exists can be omitted if the new regnal name is the same as the one used by the immediate predecessor, as was the case in October 1978, when Pope John Paul II's regnal name was announced simply as Ioannis Pauli without the numeral,[6][7] since his immediate predecessor was Pope John Paul I. It also happened in 1939, when Pope Pius XII's regnal name, following his election, was announced simply as Pium[16][17][18] since his immediate predecessor was Pope Pius XI. In the announcement of Pope Pius XII's election, his regnal name was declined in the accusative,[16][17][18] like the later announcements for Paul VI's[12][13] and Francis's elections.[8][9]
Actual examples
The following are examples of how the names were announced as noted on existing videos and recordings. The case and inclusion or exclusion of numeral for the papal names are noted.
From the beginning, the Habemus papam did not follow a strict formula, but varied in considerable form for many years. The table shows selected announcements given since the 1484 papal conclave.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus. Reverendissimus Dominus cardinalis Melfictensis electus est in summum pontificem et elegit sibi nomen Innocentium Octavum.[19]
I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope. The most reverend lord cardinal[, the bishop] of Molfetta has been elected as supreme pontiff, and has chosen for himself the name Innocent VIII.
Giovanni de Medici – elected Leo X Cardinal protodeacon at time of election
Gaudium magnum nuntio vobis! Papam habemus, Reverendissimum Dominum Johannem de Medicis, Diaconum Cardinalem Sanctae Mariae in Domenica, qui vocatur Leo Decimus.[21]
A great joy I announce to you! We have a pope, the most reverend lord Giovanni de' Medici, cardinal deacon of Santa Maria in Domnica, who is called Leo X.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus Reverendissimum Dominum Alexandrum Episcopum Hostiensem, Cardinalem de Farnesio nuncupatum, qui imposuit sibi nomen Paulus Tertius.[22]
I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope, the most reverend lord Alexander, designated bishop of Ostia and Cardinal Farnese, who has taken upon himself the name Paul III.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum, habemus Papam Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Johannem Baptistum Pamphilium, qui sibi nomen imposuit Innocentium Decimum.[23]
I announce to you a great joy, we have a pope, the most eminent and reverend lord Giovanni Battista Pamphili, who has taken upon himself the name Innocent X.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Fabium Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem Chisium, qui elegit sibi nomen Alexandrum Septimum.[24]
I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope, the most eminent and most reverend lord Fabio, cardinal priest of the Holy Roman Church Chigi, who has chosen for himself the name Alexander VII.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus Reverendissimum Benedictum Titulo Sancti Honufrii Cardinalem Odeschalcum, qui sibi nomen imposuit Innocentium Undecimum.[25]
I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope, the most reverend lord Benedetto, cardinal [priest] of the title of Sant'Onofrio, Odescalchi, who has taken upon himself the name Innocent XI.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnii: Papam habemus. Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Michaelem Angelum Tituli Sanctorum Quirici et Iulitta Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem de Comitibus, qui sibi nomen imposuit Innocentius Tertius Decimus.[26]
I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope, the most eminent and reverend lord Michelangelo, cardinal priest of the Holy Roman Church of the title of Santi Quirico e Giulitta, Conti, who has taken upon himself the name Innocent XIII.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Fratrem Vincentium Mariam Cardinalem Ursinum Episcopum Portuensem, qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedictus Tertius Decimus.[27]
I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope: the most eminent and reverend lord brother Vincenzo Maria Cardinal Orsini, Bishop of Porto, who has taken upon himself the name Benedict XIII.
Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus. Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Laurentium Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Corsinum Episcopum Tusculanum, qui sibi Nomen imposuit Clemens Duodecimus[28]
I announce to you great joy: we have a pope: the Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Lorenzo Cardinal Corsini of the Holy Roman Church, Bishop of Tusculana, who has taken upon himself the name Clement XII.
Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum: habemus Papam, Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum Prosperum, tituli Sanctae Crucis in Ierusalem, Presbyterum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Lambertinum, Archiepiscopum Bononiensem, qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedictus Decimusquartus[29]
I announce to you great joy: we have a Pope: the Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Prospero, with the title of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, Cardinal Lambertini, priest of the Holy Roman Church, Archbishop of Bologna, who has taken upon himself the name Benedict XIV.
Nuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus! Eminentissimum et reverendissimum Dominum Ioannem Angelum, tituli Sancti Onuphrii Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem Braschi, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pius Sextus.[30]
I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope! The most eminent and reverend lord Giovanni Angelo, cardinal priest of the Holy Roman Church of the title of Sant'Onofrio, Braschi, who has taken upon himself the name Pius VI.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: papam habemus, eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum Annibalem, tituli Sanctae Mariae Transtiberim, presbyterum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Della Genga, qui sibi imposuit nomen Leo Duodecimus.[31]
I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope, the most eminent and reverend lord Annibale, cardinal priest of the Holy Roman Church of the title of Santa Maria in Trastevere, Della Genga, who has taken upon himself the name Leo XII.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus! Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum Maurum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem Cappellari, qui sibi nomen imposuit Gregorius Sextus Decimus.[32][33]
I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope! The most eminent and reverend lord Mauro, cardinal priest of the Holy Roman Church, Cappellari, who has taken upon himself the name Gregory XVI.
Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti – elected Pope Pius IX
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus! Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Ioannem Mariam Mastai Ferretti, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pius Nonus.[34]
I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope! The most eminent and reverend lord Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti, cardinal priest of the Holy Roman Church, who has taken upon himself the name Pius IX.
Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci -elected Pope Leo XIII
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam, Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Ioachim Pecci, qui sibi nomen imposuit Leonis Tertii Decimi.[c]
I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: the most eminent and most reverend lord Gioacchino Pecci, who has taken upon himself the name Leo XIII.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Cardinalem Josephum Sarto, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pius Decimus.[38][39]
I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: the most eminent and most reverend Cardinal Giuseppe Sarto, who has taken upon himself the name Pius X.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum Cardinalem Iacobum della Chiesa, qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedictum Quintum Decimum.[40]
I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: the most eminent and most reverend lord Cardinal Giacomo della Chiesa, who has taken upon himself the name Benedict XV.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum Cardinalem Achillem Ratti, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pius Undecimus.[41]
I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: the most eminent and most reverend lord Cardinal Achille Ratti, who has taken upon himself the name Pius XI.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Eugenium Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Pacelli, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pium.[16][17][18]
I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: the most eminent and reverend lord, Lord Eugenio, cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Pacelli, who takes to himself the name Pius.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Angelum Iosephum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Roncalli, qui sibi nomen imposuit Ioannis Vigesimi Tertii.[10]
I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: the most eminent and reverend lord, Lord Angelo Giuseppe, cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Roncalli, who takes to himself the name John XXIII.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum et reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Ioannem Baptistam Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Montini, qui sibi nomen imposuit Paulum Sextum.[12]
I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: the most eminent and reverend lord, Lord Giovanni Battista, cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Montini, who takes to himself the name Paul VI.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Albinum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Luciani, qui sibi nomen imposuit Ioannis Pauli Primi.[11]
I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: the most eminent and reverend lord, Lord Albino, cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Luciani, who takes to himself the name John Paul I.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Carolum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Wojtyła, qui sibi nomen imposuit Ioannis Pauli.[6]
I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: the most eminent and reverend lord, Lord Karol, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Wojtyła, who takes to himself the name John Paul.
Fratelli e sorelle carissimi! ¡Queridísimos hermanos y hermanas! Biens chers frères et sœurs! Liebe Brüder und Schwestern! Dear brothers and sisters! Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Iosephum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Ratzinger, qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedicti Decimi Sexti.[4]
(“Dear brothers and sisters” in Italian, Spanish, French, German, and English) I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: the most eminent and reverend lord, Lord Joseph, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Ratzinger, who takes to himself the name Benedict XVI.
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Georgium Marium Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem Bergoglio, qui sibi nomen imposuit Franciscum.[9]
I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: the most eminent and reverend lord, Lord Jorge Mario, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Bergoglio, who takes to himself the name Francis.
^While every pope after Urban VI (r. 1378–1389) has been a cardinal, this is not a strict requirement; the conclave is capable of electing any Catholic male, even a layman.
^Jesuit professor Norman Tanner claims that Antipope John XXIII actually resigned but under pressure.[5]
^Although this version of the announcement was published through (semi-)official channels,[35] other contemporary sources indicate that Cardinal Caterini, the aged protodeacon, broke down after the first two words, after which a young assistant - Bartolomeo Grassi Landi, conclavist to Cardinal Oreglia - called out the name of the new Pope in Italian.[36][37]