The Chamberlain Cardinal (“Camerlongo Cardinal”), Italian Tarcisio Bertone, will become, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI the interim pope responsible for the administration of the Church until a new Pontiff will be elected, but with significantly reduced exercising powers, according to AFP.
All senior officials of the “government” of the Church will cease to function after Pope’s death, according to the Apostolic Constitution promulgated in 1996 by Pope John Paul II. The same rule applies to the Pope’s resignation. Only Chamberlain Cardinal remains in post, to manage current affairs of the Church.
The word “chamberlain” is derived from the Italian word “camera”, which means room, and is equivalent to the word “Chambellan” in French. It describes a purely administrative function that does not lose its importance in case of death or resignation of a pope.
He is charge with Vatican’s administration and is helped by cardinals, meeting in the General Congregation, organizes the funerals in the death of a pope and the conclave to elect a new pope.
But the Chamberlain and cardinals can not make any decision whose validity would exceed the vacation period of St. Peter’s throne or affecting the exclusive prerogative of the Pope, such as the appointment of cardinals.
The Chamberlain Cardinal is also responsible to establish and announce the death of the Pope. Before Pius XII, who died in 1958, the Chamberlain was in charge with observing the death of the Church head, hitting him over the head with a small silver jacket, to ensure that the pope is dead.
Monsignor Bertone will symbolically take over the possession of the papal properties, namely the Vatican Apostolic Palace, Lateran Palace, the location of the diocese of Rome where the Pope is traditionally bishop, and Gandolfo Castle, the summer residence of the popes, but the latter will be the place of living for Joseph Ratzinger, a new situation in the recent history of the Church.
Number two in Vatican, Bertone, aged 78, was appointed Chamberlain in April 2007. Originally from Romano Canavese, a small town in Piedmont, the Salesian Tarcisio Bertone worked for seven years (1995-2002) with Joseph Ratzinger while he was prefect of the Congregation of the Faith, after which he was appointed, in 2006, Vatican Secretary of State, a sort of “head of government” of the Holy See.
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