Habemus papam
Habemus papam is the announcement traditionally given by the Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals or by the senior cardinal deacon participating in the papal conclave, in Latin, upon the election of a new pope of the Catholic Church.
The announcement is made from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, overlooking St. Peter's Square. After the announcement, the new pope is presented to the people and he gives his first Urbi et Orbi blessing.
Format
The format for the announcement when a cardinal is elected pope is:
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum;
habemus Papam:
Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum,
Dominum
Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem
qui sibi nomen imposuit .
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
Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church
who has taken the name .
In the Habemus papam announcement given by Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estévez on April 19, 2005, upon the election of Pope Benedict XVI, the announcement was preceded by an identical greeting in several languages, respectively, Italian, Spanish, French, German and English:
Fratelli e sorelle carissimi,
Queridísimos hermanos y hermanas,
Bien chers frères et sœurs,
Liebe Brüder und Schwestern,
Dear brothers and sisters.
History
The text of the announcement is partly inspired by the Gospel of Luke, which records the words of the angel announcing to the shepherds the birth of the Messiah:"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."
Note that, in the Vulgate, 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, 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, Antipope Benedict XIII 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 and the resignation of the third, the council elected the new pope. The announcement, therefore, could be interpreted as: " we have a pope ".
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, but the new pontiff's surname is announced in the undeclined form. The new papal name has usually been given in the genitive case in Latin, corresponding to the translation "who takes the name of...", 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 and Franciscum, 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 Fiocchini, Piera Guidotti Bacci and the Maiorum Lingua Manual, the accusative is the more correct form.During the announcement of Pope Paul VI's election, protodeacon Alfredo Ottaviani used the conjunction et instead of ac, the word usually used for "and" within the formula.
During the announcement of Pope Benedict XVI's election, his regnal name was declined by Cardinal Medina in the genitive case, 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
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 was used but in Pope Francis' election, no numeral was uttered.
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, 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 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, like the later announcements for Paul VI's and Francis's elections.
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.| Birth name | First name | Surname | Papal name | Papal name | Latin declension of papal name | Numeral in papal name | |
| Eugenio Pacelli | Eugenium | Pacelli | Pius XII | Pium | accusative | not given | |
| Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli | Angelum Iosephum | Roncalli | John XXIII | Ioannis vigesimi tertii | genitive | given | |
| Giovanni Battista Montini | Ioannem Baptistam | Montini | Paul VI | Paulum sextum | accusative | given | |
| Albino Luciani | Albinum | Luciani | John Paul I | Ioannis Pauli primi | genitive | given | |
| Karol Wojtyła | Carolum | Wojtyła | John Paul II | Ioannis Pauli | genitive | not given | |
| Joseph Ratzinger | Iosephum | Ratzinger | Benedict XVI | Benedicti decimi sexti | genitive | given | |
| Jorge Mario Bergoglio | Georgium Marium | Bergoglio | Francis | Franciscum | accusative | none |
Evolution of the formula
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.| Date | Protodeacon or senior cardinal deacon | Pope elected | Announcement | Translation |
| August 29, 1484 | Francesco Piccolomini | Giovanni Battista Cibo – elected Innocent VIII | Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus. Reverendissimus Dominus cardinalis Melfictensis electus est in summum pontificem et elegit sibi nomen Innocentium Octavum. | I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope. The most reverend lord cardinal of Molfetta has been elected as supreme pontiff, and has chosen for himself the name Innocent VIII. |
| November 1, 1503 | Raffaele Sansoni Riario | Giuliano della Rovere – elected Julius II | Papam habemus Reverendissimum Dominum Cardinalem Sancti Petri ad Vincula, qui vocatur Julius Secundus. | We have a pope, the most reverend lord, cardinal of San Pietro in Vincoli, who is called Julius II. |
| March 11, 1513 | Alessandro Farnese | Giovanni de Medici – elected Leo X Note: 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. | 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. |
| October 13, 1534 | Innocenzo Cibo | Alessandro Farnese – elected Paul III | Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus Reverendissimum Dominum Alexandrum Episcopum Hostiensem, Cardinalem de Farnesio nuncupatum, qui imposuit sibi nomen Paulus Tertius. | I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope, the most reverend lord Alexander, designated bishop of Ostia and Cardinal Farnese, who takes to himself the name Paul III. |
| September 15, 1644 | Francesco Barberini | Giovanni Battista Pamphili – elected Innocent X | Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum, habemus Papam Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Johannem Baptistum Pamphilium, qui sibi nomen imposuit Innocentium Decimum. | I announce to you a great joy, we have a pope, the most eminent and reverend lord Giovanni Battista Pamphili, who takes to himself the name Innocent X. |
| April 7, 1655 | Giangiacomo Teodoro Trivulzio | Fabio Chigi – elected Alexander VII | Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Fabium Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem Chisium, qui elegit sibi nomen Alexandrum Septimum. | 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 chooses for himself the name Alexander VII. |
| September 21, 1676 | Francesco Maidalchini | Benedetto Odeschalchi – elected Innocent XI | Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus Reverendissimum Benedictum Titulo Sancti Honufrii Cardinalem Odeschalcum, qui sibi nomen imposuit Innocentium Undecimum. | I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope, the most reverend lord Benedetto, cardinal of the title of Sant'Onofrio, Odescalchi, who takes to himself the name Innocent XI. |
| May 8, 1721 | Benedetto Pamphili | Michelangelo Conti – elected Innocent XIII | Annuncio 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. | 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 takes to himself the name Innocent XIII. |
| May 29, 1724 | Benedetto Pamphili | Vincenzo Maria Orsini – elected Pope Benedict XIII | Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Fratrem Vincentium Mariam Cardinalem Ursinum Episcopum Portuensem, qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedictus Tertius Decimus. | 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 takes to himself the name Benedict XIII. |
| February 15, 1775 | Alessandro Albani | Giovanni Angelo Braschi – elected Pope Pius VI | Annuntio 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. | 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 takes to himself the name Pius VI. |
| September 28, 1823 | Fabrizio Ruffo | Annibale Della Genga – elected Pope Leo XII | Annuncio 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. | 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 takes to himself the name Leo XII. |
| February 2, 1831 | Giuseppe Albani | Mauro Cappellari – elected Pope Gregory XVI | Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus! Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum Maurum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum tituli sancti Calysti Cardinalem Cappellari, qui sibi nomen imposuit Gregorium Sextum Decimum. | 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 of the title of San Callisto, Cappellari, who takes to himself the name Gregory XVI. |
| June 16, 1846 | Tommaso Riario Sforza | Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti – elected Pope Pius IX | Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum: Papam habemus! Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Ioannem Mariam Mastai Ferretti, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pius Nonus. | 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 takes to himself the name Pius IX. |
| March 2, 1939 | Camillo Caccia Dominioni | Eugenio Pacelli – elected Pope Pius XII | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Eugenium Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Pacelli, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pium. | 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. |
| October 28, 1958 | Nicola Canali | Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli – elected Pope John XXIII | 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. | 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. |
| June 21, 1963 | Alfredo Ottaviani | Giovanni Battista Montini – elected Pope Paul VI | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum et reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Ioannem Baptistam Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Montini, qui sibi nomen imposuit Paulum Sextum. | 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. |
| August 26, 1978 | Pericle Felici | Albino Luciani – elected Pope John Paul I | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Albinum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Luciani, qui sibi nomen imposuit Ioannis Pauli Primi. | 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. |
| October 16, 1978 | Pericle Felici | Karol Wojtyła – elected Pope John Paul II | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Carolum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalem Wojtyła, qui sibi nomen imposuit Ioannis Pauli. | 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. |
| April 19, 2005 | Jorge Arturo Medina Estévez | Joseph Ratzinger – elected Pope Benedict XVI | 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. | 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. |
| March 13, 2013 | Jean-Louis Tauran | Jorge Mario Bergoglio – elected Pope Francis | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Georgium Marium Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem Bergoglio, qui sibi nomen imposuit Franciscum. | 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. |