From a priest…
QUAERITUR:
I’m sure Rome is exciting this week more than Easter Week. I noticed something peculiar watching old Habemus Papam videos. Following the sibi nomen imposuit, ir seems the name has traditionally been given first in the genitive case : “ Johannis Pauli” “ Benedicti” , but for some reason Cardinal Tauran announced “Franciscum” (accusative?) rather than Francisci. Is there a hard and fast rule on this, or some wiggle room? Just curious.
Also, JP 1 had the “primi” added in the announcement, JP2 did not get “secundi” but Benedict did have the decimi sexti … I suppose it’s not as important, but this is what I’m thinking at 2:30am.
Let’s hope for “Pii” or something good,
Here’s the formula of the announcement:
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus Papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum [NAME in ACCUSATIVE] Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem [LAST NAME usually not declinable] qui sibi nomen imposuit [REGNAL NAME].
I suppose that the name could be in the nominative, as if there were a mental colon after imposuit [: Leo… Leo.]. That’s Leo not Lío. It could be accusative as the object of imposuit [“Leonem… Leo”]. I think it could be a kind of apposition genitive, “who has imposed upon himself the name “Leonis … of Leo”.
Anyone else on this matter of grave importance?
Pius XII – “Pium”
John XXIII ?
Paul VI “Paulum Sextum”
John Paul I – “Ioannis Pauli Primi”
John Paul II – “Ioannis Pauli”
Benedict XVI – “Benedicti Decimi Sexti”
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Personally, the name should neither be in the genitive case nor the accusative case (and especially not nominative), but dative (of possession). I always remember this line from Plautus’ Menaechmi (ll. 263-4):
‘propterea huic urbi nomen Epidamno inditumst
quia nemo ferme huc sine damno devortitur.’
@ad.nutum.meum
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0059:entry=nomen
The dative construction appears to be the most classical, the genitive construction appears to be the most common usage in the Vulgate… which would make sense given Hebrew grammar. But it does look, from the entry, like the genitive construction appears in Caesar.
Father, may I follow up with another query?
As we know, any baptized male in communion with the Holy See is a potential candidate for the papacy.
We are alao aware that that is highly unlikely.
However, it could be more easily envisaged that the cardinal electors choose one of the cardinals not present in the conclave because of age.
We also know that the cardinal electors are sequestered in the Sistine Chapel, only allowed to communicate with the outside world by means of a white smoke signal indicating the election of a pope.
But what happens if someone from outside the conclave is chosen – is there a means to summon him and enquire if he accepts?
Just curious.
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Thank you, Father, for your speedy reply :)
When I read about these things my brain connects to the moment in which Benedict XVI appeared for the first time. I was there, in the square, it was an electric moment, deeply engraved in my mind, and I felt time went super slow motion from the habemus papam to the moment in which he appeared. Happy days.
For what it’s worth, Wikipedia has a section on this very topic titled “Grammatical case of papal name” in the article on the announcement of a new pope: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habemus_papam
To supplement Father Z’s list above, I found the video of John XXIII’s announcement: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/reQlNc71TGA. The Cardinal Protodeacon used the genitive case.