Editing Pope Benedict XV (section)

=== Election to the Papacy ===
{{Main|Papal conclave, 1914}}
Following the death of [[Pope Pius X|Pius X]], the resulting conclave opened at the end of August 1914. The war would clearly be the dominant issue of the new pontificate, so the cardinals' priority was to choose a man with great diplomatic experience. Thus on 3 September 1914, della Chiesa, despite having been a cardinal only three months, was elected pope, taking the name of Benedict XV. He chose the name because of his devotion to [[Benedict of Nursia|St. Benedict of Nursia]],<ref>{{Cite journal |date=January 1921 |title=Holy Father blesses Benedictine Order |journal=The Grail |volume=2 |issue=9 |pages=232}}</ref> perhaps also in honour of [[Pope Benedict XIV]], who had been an archbishop from Bologna.<ref>Note on numbering: [[Antipope Benedict X|Pope Benedict X]] is now considered an [[antipope]]. At the time, however, this status was not recognized, and so the man the Catholic Church officially considers the [[Pope Benedict XI|tenth true Pope Benedict]] took the official number XI, rather than X. This has advanced the numbering of all subsequent Popes Benedict by one. Popes Benedict XI–XVI are, from an official point of view, the tenth through fifteenth popes by that name. In other words, there is no legitimate Pope Benedict X.</ref> Upon being elected pope, he was also formally the Grand Master of the Equestrian [[Order of the Holy Sepulchre]] of Jerusalem, [[Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith|prefect of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office]] and [[Congregation for Bishops|prefect of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation]]. There was, however, a Cardinal-Secretary to run these bodies on a day-to-day basis.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

Due to the enduring [[Roman Question]], after the announcement of his election to the papacy by the Cardinal [[Protodeacon]], Benedict XV, following in the footsteps of his two most recent predecessors, did not appear on the balcony of St. Peter's basilica overlooking St. Peter's Square to grant the ''[[urbi et orbi]]'' blessing. Benedict XV was [[Papal coronation|crowned]] in the [[Sistine Chapel]] on 6 September 1914, and, also as a form of protest due to the [[Roman question]], there was no ceremony for the formal possession of the [[Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran]].{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

[[File:Bene15coronation1914.jpg|thumb|left|Coronation of Pope Benedict XV in 1914]]

In the 1914 conclave, the cardinals were divided into two factions: the "reactionaries" and the "conservatives". The decade-long campaign waged against Modernism cast a cloud over the conclave, and also ensured on the part of the deceased pontiff that there were fewer moderate and progressive cardinals in the Sacred College. However, the cardinals feared that one of the sides in World War I might potentially influence the conclave to elect a pope that would prove amenable to their side and their positions. While the cardinals expressed relief in the abolition of [[Jus exclusivae|the veto]] in 1904, there was still a palpable fear that there would be subtle attempts to exert control over the cardinals, hence, deep suspicion in many cardinals of their European colleagues. During the conclave, Cardinal [[Domenico Serafini]] and his faction had enough votes to ensure that della Chiesa was not elected, particularly since the eighth ballot had della Chiesa with a majority, though below the two-thirds needed for election.<ref name=SV>{{cite web|url=http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/SV1914.html|title=Sede Vacante 1914|publisher=|author=John Paul Adams|date=2007|access-date=12 February 2022}}</ref>

While Serafini was considered "''[[papabile]]''" due to his position at the Holy Office, and his alignment with the policies of Pius X, other cardinals such as [[Andrea Carlo Ferrari]] and [[Désiré-Joseph Mercier]] believed that the new pope needed to focus not on Modernism and doctrinal debates, but rather, a softer focus after the somewhat harsh reign of Pius X. To that end, those cardinals turned towards electing the liberal [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Pisa|Archbishop of Pisa]] [[Pietro Maffi]]. Della Chiesa, on the other hand, was wedged between Maffi and Serafini as representing the best and worst of both factions, hence his contention in the balloting. While della Chiesa seemed to secure support from some conservative cardinals, Maffi lagged considerably and hence Serafini was positioned as della Chiesa's main rival. Since Maffi had lagged in the balloting, his supporters decided to counter Serafini and threw their support for della Chiesa, securing his election by only one vote in what was a protracted conclave.<ref name=SV/><ref name=RT/>

Upon his election, Benedict XV was unable to locate a suitable cassock to wear since the three that were available to him did not appropriately fit his frail form. From a diary that recorded the events of the conclave, "the papal habit that was chosen was the small one, but lacking in some part, and being a little long, it was adapted with clothespin pins, and raised and covered with a gold tassel sash".<ref name=RT>{{cite web|url=https://www.ruetir.com/2022/01/20/benedict-xv-100-years-after-his-death-the-pacifist-pope/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207021634/https://www.ruetir.com/2022/01/20/benedict-xv-100-years-after-his-death-the-pacifist-pope/|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 February 2022|title=Benedict XV 100 years after his death: the pacifist pope|publisher=Ruetir|author=|date=20 January 2022|access-date=7 February 2022}}</ref>