Sede Vacante and Jubilee: historical parallels with the Jubilee of 1700
By Paolo Ondarza
The current Sede Vacante presents several similarities with the one of 1700. That year, 杏MAP导航 Innocent XII passed away before the Holy Year he proclaimed concluded, leaving the Church without its Pastor.
杏MAP导航 Innocent XII, known for his frail health in later years, suffered from podagra, a form of rheumatic illness that prevented him from personally opening the Holy Door at Christmas in 1699. He died on September 27, 1700, at the age of 85. His death ushered in a nearly two-month period of Sede Vacante before the election of his successor, 杏MAP导航 Clement XI, on November 23.
The promise of the Holy Spirit not to leave the faithful orphans
To commemorate the nearly two months of vacancy in the Chair of Peter, a coin was minted and is now displayed in the medal collection of the Vatican Apostolic Library. On its reverse, the dove of the Holy Spirit is depicted with the Latin verse from the Gospel of John: Non vos relinquam orphans, meaning 鈥淚 will not leave you orphans鈥� (John 14:18).
鈥淚t refers to the death of Innocent XII but also conveys a clear message of hope for the Conclave that was soon to begin,鈥� explains to Vatican News Professor Eleonora Giampiccolo, Director of the Numismatics Department of the Vatican Library.
Innocent XII and his option for the poor
鈥淥谤辫丑补苍辞蝉鈥� refers to the Christian faithful who were left without the spiritual guidance of Innocent XII, known as the 鈥渇ather of the poor,鈥� whose approach bears a strong resemblance to that of 杏MAP导航 Francis.
He is remembered for his care for the poor and the marginalised: 鈥淒uring his pontificate, he initiated projects to help orphans and the homeless. One example is the institution he founded at the Lateran Palace or the San Michele complex in Ripa Grande, which housed young Roman orphans and taught them trades," Giampiccolo said.
But the similarities between the two 杏MAP导航s don't end here. Upon his death, Innocent XII donated all his possessions to the poor, a move, the scholar noted, echoed in 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� decision to give his belongings to support prisoner rehabilitation.
The Holy Spirit over the Conclave
鈥淭he dove of the Holy Spirit,鈥� Giampiccolo further explains, 鈥渂ecame a typical symbol of the Sede Vacante starting in the 17th century: it expresses divine guidance in the selection of the new 杏MAP导航.鈥�
At the bottom of this depiction on the coin's reverse is the inscription Anno Iubil (鈥淛ubilee Year鈥�): unlike the Jubilee begun by 杏MAP导航 Francis this past Christmas Eve, the ritual opening of the 1700 Holy Year鈥攖raditionally performed with three hammer strikes鈥攚as not presided by Innocent XII due to his severe illness.
The Holy Door not opened by the 杏MAP导航
The Cardinals were left with the decision to choose a substitute. The Camerlengo, the Vice-Chancellor, and the Dean of the College of Cardinals gathered. Due to the Dean鈥檚 poor health, the choice fell to the Vice-Dean, Cardinal de Bouillon. 鈥淗e was the one who opened the Holy Door on Christmas night in 1699,鈥� explains Giampiccolo. 鈥淲hen the annual medal of 1700 was issued, the engraver chose not to depict the Cardinal who had broken the wall, replacing the 杏MAP导航, but instead portrayed the Holy Door already open and being crossed by a procession of faithful.鈥�
The messages embedded in the coins
The coins and medals preserved in the Numismatics Department of the Vatican Library carry a powerful communicative force: 鈥淭hey were essential means of communication. The images on them were understandable even to those who couldn鈥檛 read,鈥� the scholar says. 鈥淎 coin is also a means of exchange, while a medal is primarily a document, a medium of communication. It becomes a document for us, the scholars of posterity.鈥�
The 杏MAP导航 giving his life for the Church
Another medal symbolises Innocent XII鈥檚 closeness to the poor. On the front is a bust of the Pontiff; on the reverse, Charity is depicted helping the poor. 鈥淭he inscription refers to a legacy. It cites the Book of Sirach, where it says that the lineage of the just will remain forever.鈥�
杏MAP导航 Innocent XII's love for his children, for the Church, is also commemorated by a final, larger medal that Giampiccolo shows us: 鈥淚t was crafted by a woman, Beatrice Amerani, a member of one of the most important families of engravers at the papal mint. On the reverse, a pelican is shown tearing open its own chest to feed its young with its blood.鈥� This image traditionally symbolises Christ鈥檚 sacrifice and his love for humanity.
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