# If the Pope went into a PVS, what would the Vatican do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 30, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-went-into-a-pvs-what-would-the-vatican-do/296872 "2005-03-30T02:07:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-went-into-a-pvs-what-would-the-vatican-do/296872/1 "2005-03-30T02:07:45Z")
If the Pope goes into a Persistant Vegetative State, and stays like that for an extended period of time (15,20, maybe 30 years), what would the Vatican do? They need the Pope to appoint Cardinals, right? If the College of Cardinals starts to die off, would they have enough to meet a quorum to appoint a new pope once the current one passes away? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-went-into-a-pvs-what-would-the-vatican-do/296872/2 "2005-03-30T02:18:23Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > If the Pope goes into a Persistant Vegetative State, and stays like that for an extended period of time (15,20, maybe 30 years), what would the Vatican do? The current pope is 86, so it would be pretty miraculous if he went into a PVS for 30 years; ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-went-into-a-pvs-what-would-the-vatican-do/296872/3 "2005-03-30T02:21:31Z")
The only rule about numbers of cardinals at a Conclave that I’m aware of is that the College of Cardinals not be comprised of more than 120 electors. JP broke that rule, I think it was up to 128. I’ve heard, however, that it may be back down to about 120 as a result of retirements and the age restriction (80, I think) on voting eligibility. If there is a rule about how many cardinals must be present, it is likely a percentage rule - at least 3/4 of eligible electors must be present before the conclave can begin voting, or something like that. So if the College of Cardinals dwindled down to say 30 eligible electors by the time the pope died, I don’t see that that would be a problem. However, that last paragraph is entirely speculation on my part. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-went-into-a-pvs-what-would-the-vatican-do/296872/4 "2005-03-30T02:22:37Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > The current pope is 86, so it would be pretty miraculous if he went into a PVS for 30 years; God works in mysterious ways. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-went-into-a-pvs-what-would-the-vatican-do/296872/5 "2005-03-30T02:49:32Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > If the Pope goes into a Persistant Vegetative State, and stays like that for an extended period of time (15,20, maybe 30 years), what would the Vatican do? > > They need the Pope to appoint Cardinals, right? If the College of Cardinals starts to die off, would they have enough to meet a quorum to appoint a new pope once the current one passes away? I truely believe that the they would see this as a sign of thier faith and would let the present Cardinals rule increasingly greater amounts of people until God decided it was time for the Pope to pass on into heavean, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-went-into-a-pvs-what-would-the-vatican-do/296872/6 "2005-03-30T03:10:52Z")
I read a few weeks back that a Vatican official has been designated to run the routine operations of the church if the Pope becomes unable to. But he cannot take on any specifically Papal duties - which would probably include naming new Cardinals. But realistically, if the Pope goes into a coma, there will surely be sufficient Cardinals still alive when he dies to name his successor. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-went-into-a-pvs-what-would-the-vatican-do/296872/7 "2005-03-30T03:36:24Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > I read a few weeks back that a Vatican official has been designated to run the routine operations of the church if the Pope becomes unable to. But he cannot take on any specifically Papal duties - which would probably include naming new Cardinals. But realistically, if the Pope goes into a coma, there will surely be sufficient Cardinals still alive when he dies to name his successor. When he dies is the crux of the point.