Votive Masses for Death, Election, and Installation of a Pope

Cardinals Entering a Conclave

 I am sure that our readers are saying prayers for the repose of the soul of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, who died this morning. Although a Mass with an intention for the repose of his soul may be said immediately, an actual Requiem Mass with the suitable collects cannot be said during the Octave of Easter since those days are first class feasts, and so only the Requiem Mass of the Funeral itself can be said during this week. The Requiem on news of a death would be second class and so the next possible date for such a Mass would be Monday, April 28, the third-class feast of St. Paul of the Cross.

 The Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit for the Election of a Supreme Pontiff would be a fourth-class votive  Mass, and so the next possible date would be Saturday, May 3. A votive Mass for a special occasion like an election of a prior, and so hypothetically for the election of a pope, would be second-class, but that would assume it would be said at the actual papal election itself. But such a Mass would never have been a Dominican Rite Mass. Thus this Votive Mass in the Dominican Missal would never be higher than fourth-class. The papal election itself will take place between May 6 and May 12, 2025, the earliest and latest dates for convoking the conclave. In that time frame the dates on which a fourth-class votive Mass may be celebrated are May 6 and May 12 themselves. The other days all have at least a third-class celebration.

 Finally, the Votive Mass for the Papal Coronation (now called Installation) is second-class in our rite. Of course, it would never have been used at the actual coronation, so this Mass is in our rite actually "on the occasion" of the installation. It can be said so long as there is no first-class feast on that date. Even though, it would be assumed that this votive Mass would be said on the actual day of ceremony, it could, I think, be anticipated or deferred to an open date, should that be pastorally indicated.

Let us all pray, not only for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis, but also for the Holy Spirit's guidance of the coming conclave!