Editing Sistine Chapel (section)

== History ==
While known as the location of [[papal conclaves]], the primary function of the Sistine Chapel is as the chapel of the [[Papal Chapel]] (''Cappella Pontificia''), one of the two bodies of the [[papal household]], called until 1968 the ''Papal Court'' (''Pontificalis Aula''). At the time of Pope Sixtus IV in the late 15th century, the Papal Chapel comprised about 200 people, including clerics, officials of the [[Holy See|Vatican]] and distinguished laity. There were 50 occasions during the year on which it was prescribed by the Papal Calendar that the whole Papal Chapel should meet.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pietrangeli|1986|p=24}}</ref> Of these 50 occasions, 35 were masses, of which 8 were held in basilicas, in general [[St. Peter's Basilica|St. Peter's]], and were attended by large congregations. These included the Christmas Day and Easter masses at which the Pope himself was the [[Liturgy|celebrant]]. The other 27 masses could be held in a smaller, less public space, for which the ''Cappella Maggiore'' was used before it was rebuilt on the same site as the Sistine Chapel.

The ''Cappella Maggiore'' derived its name, the Greater Chapel, from the fact that there was another chapel also in use by the Pope and his retinue for daily worship. At the time of Pope Sixtus IV, this was the Chapel of [[Pope Nicholas V]], which had been decorated by [[Fra Angelico]]. The ''Cappella Maggiore'' is recorded as existing in 1368. According to a communication from Andreas of Trebizond to Pope Sixtus IV, by the time of its demolition to make way for the present chapel, the ''Cappella Maggiore ''was in a ruinous state with its walls leaning.<ref name="Shearman">John Shearman, "The Chapel of Sixtus IV". In {{Harvnb|Pietrangeli|1986}}</ref>
[[File:Cappella sistina, aspetto originario, stampa del XIX secolo.jpg|thumb|left|upright|The Sistine Chapel as it may have appeared in the 15th century (19th-century drawing)]]
The present chapel, on the site of the ''Cappella Maggiore'', was designed by [[Baccio Pontelli]] for Pope Sixtus IV, for whom it is named, and built under the supervision of Giovannino de Dolci between 1473 and 1481.<ref name="EHT2006_313">{{Harvnb|Ekelund|Hébert|Tollison|2006|p=313}}</ref> The proportions of the present chapel appear to closely follow those of the original. After its completion, the chapel was decorated with frescoes by a number of the most famous artists of the [[High Renaissance]], including [[Sandro Botticelli]], [[Domenico Ghirlandaio]], [[Pietro Perugino]], and [[Michelangelo]].<ref name="Shearman" />

The first [[mass (liturgy)|mass]] in the Sistine Chapel was celebrated on 15 August 1483, the Feast of the [[Assumption of Mary|Assumption]], at which ceremony the chapel was consecrated and dedicated to the [[Mary, the mother of Jesus|Virgin Mary]].<ref>{{Citation |url=http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/CSN/CSN_Storia.html |title=The Sistine Chapel |work=Vatican Museums |access-date=9 August 2013 |archive-date=11 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130811075938/http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/CSN/CSN_Storia.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Sistine Chapel has maintained its function to the present day and continues to host the important services of the Papal Calendar, unless the Pope is travelling. There is a permanent choir, the [[Sistine Chapel Choir]], for whom much original music has been written, the most famous piece being [[Gregorio Allegri]]'s ''[[Miserere (Allegri)|Miserere]]''.<ref>[[Abel Stevens|Stevens, Abel]] & Floy, James. "Allegri's Miserere". ''The National Magazine'', Carlton & Phillip, 1854. 531.</ref>
=== Papal conclave ===
{{Main|Papal conclave}}
One of the functions of the Sistine Chapel is as a venue for the election of each successive pope in a conclave of the [[College of Cardinals]]. On the occasion of a conclave, a chimney is installed in the roof of the chapel, from which smoke arises as a signal. If white smoke appears, a new Pope has been elected. If the smoke is black, no candidate has received the required two-thirds vote, and no successful election has yet occurred. The white smoke is created by burning the ballots alone, while the black smoke is created by burning the ballots with wet straw. Chemical additives are also used for both colors.<ref>Saunders, Fr. William P. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20071111005421/http://www.catholicherald.com/saunders/05ws/ws050317.htm The Path to the Papacy]". ''Arlington Catholic Herald'', 17 March 2005. Retrieved on 2 June 2008.</ref>

The first papal conclave to be held at the Sistine Chapel was the [[conclave of 1492]], which took place from 6 to 11 August and saw the election of [[Pope Alexander VI]].

The conclave also provided for the cardinals a space in which they could hear mass, and in which they could eat, sleep, and pass time attended by servants. From 1455, conclaves have been held at the [[Vatican Palace]]; until the [[Western Schism|Great Schism]], they were held at the [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] convent of [[Santa Maria sopra Minerva]].<ref>{{Citation |last=Chambers |first=D. S. |year=1978 |title=Papal Conclaves and Prophetic Mystery in the Sistine Chapel |journal=Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes |volume=41 |pages=322–326 |doi=10.2307/750878 |publisher=The Warburg Institute |postscript=. |jstor=750878|s2cid=195032159 }}</ref> Since 1996, [[John Paul II]]'s [[Apostolic Constitution]] ''[[Universi Dominici gregis]]'' requires the cardinals to be lodged at the [[Domus Sanctae Marthae]] during a papal conclave, but to continue to vote in the Sistine Chapel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ewtn.com/HolySee/Interregnum/domus.asp|title=Interesting Conclave Facts|work=ewtn.com|access-date=9 August 2011|archive-date=12 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712081751/http://www.ewtn.com/HolySee/Interregnum/domus.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>

Canopies for each cardinal-elector were once used during conclaves—a sign of equal dignity. After the new Pope accepted his election, he would give his new name; at this time, the other Cardinals would tug on a rope attached to their seats to lower their canopies. Until reforms instituted by [[Pope Pius X|Pius X]], the canopies were of different colours to designate which cardinals had been appointed by which Pope. [[Pope Paul VI|Paul VI]] abolished the canopies altogether, since, under his papacy, the population of the College of Cardinals had increased so much to the point that they would need to be seated in rows of two against the walls, making the canopies obstruct the view of the cardinals in the back row. Ahead of a conclave taking place to preserve the integrity of the marble floor on the Sistine Chapel, carpenters install a slightly elevated wooden floor alongside a wooden ramp in the entrance for those Cardinals who for one reason or another need to be transported in a wheelchair.