首先，要说明，“教皇”是俗称，天主教内部的译法是“教宗”（the Pope）。一如“红衣主教”的专业叫法是“枢机”（cardinal）。不过，这里从俗，还是称“教皇”（如果你想起了双子座的撒加，那就暴露年龄了）和“红衣主教”。
何时选教皇
现任教皇退位（这很少发生，你我算是走运的：六百年来等一回，这一位是2013年退位的前代教皇Benedict XVI，上一位是1415年的Gregory XII）或去世，就要选出新教皇了。一般在教皇宝座出现空缺起的10到20天内，就要选出。
谁有资格当选教皇
理论上，凡是受过洗礼的男性天主教徒，都有资格当选。不过，要当基层神职人员的话，通常都得25岁起码。此外，由于教会法典规定，主教（bishop）必须至少35岁，而教皇即罗马主教，所以35岁勉强可视为担任教皇的最低年龄。为什么说是“勉强”呢？因为教会法典一方面规定所有主教必须由罗马教皇任命或确认其神职，一方面又规定罗马主教只能通过红衣主教团秘密集会，按特殊法则，投票选出。因此，罗马主教，也就是教皇，其实不受35岁这条最低年龄的限制。反正，历史经验告诉我们，35岁做教皇，就是做梦。
出现极端情况，实在无人合适，可以从天主教会以外的基督教会选——这是教皇Nicolas II在1059年规定的。但实际操作是1389年11月2日以来，64位当选者，无一不是红衣主教。（1378年，教皇Urban VI当选，他此前只是大主教（archbishop），而非红衣主教，当时选举状况非常混乱……）此前，1059到1389年，47位选出的教皇里，多达11人不是红衣主教。
而红衣主教最低的年龄要求是35岁——在当代，这也是可望不可及的，除非教皇对你青睐有加，力排众议（这种破格拔擢叫waiver，汉译“豁免晋牧”）。1400年以来，最年轻的教皇当数1513年登位的37岁的Leo X；第二年轻的是Clement VII，45岁，他是Leo X的亲戚……现代，截止2009年，最年轻的红衣主教是匈牙利的Peter Erdo，生于1952年。不知他仍保持纪录至今否。古代，这项纪录是意大利大名鼎鼎的美蒂奇（de' Medici）家族成员保持的，13岁就靠老爹的权势，被亲戚、教皇Innocent VIII任命为初级的红衣主教：枢机执事（cardinal deacon），且秘不发“喜”——此君，还是Leo X。另有一些人，他们在某年晋升为红衣主教，但在很多年后，才公诸于世，譬如名噪一时的上海教区主教龚品梅，于1979年被委任为枢机司铎（cardinal priest），但教皇将此事“默存心中”，到1991年才宣布。
谁有资格选举教皇
选举教皇的大任，降于俗称“红衣主教团”的枢机团（the Cardinal College）。根据《天主教法典》第350条，红衣主教团里，所有枢机分三级（order）：主教（episcopal）、司铎（presbyteral）、执事（diaconal）。所有，我们说的“红衣主教”一定是枢机，但不一定是枢机主教。红衣主教团也负责在教宗宝座空缺期间，处理教廷的日常紧要事务。
注意，并不是健在的所有红衣主教都有选举资格。1996年2月22日颁布的教廷宪法Universi Dominici Gregis（简称UDG，英文意思是the Lord’s whole flock，“主的全体子民”）规定，在现任教皇去世或退位当日，年满80周岁的红衣主教，无资格选举教皇——但有资格当选教皇。教会法律没有明确规定年龄上限。前任教皇Benedict XVI在2005年当选时，已78岁。比他当选年龄更大的是Alexander VIII，1689年当选时79岁。刚选出的Francis I是76岁。
选举教皇的流程
一、有权投票的红衣主教们汇聚梵蒂冈，形成一个选举团（conclave），每人均须发誓守秘。本次教皇选举，这个枢机选举团的最大人数是120。
二、首先是预检（pre-scrutiny）。从选举团中，选出若干选举干事（electoral administrative officer），然后分发选票。在投票祭坛前，若干计票员（scrutineer）将收集统计选票。另有医护员（infirmarer），他们负责收取（如有）生病者的投票。最后会由监票员（reviser）们检查每一张选票以及计票员写在选票上的附言。
三、投票（scrutiny）开始。按照资历，红衣主教们填完选票，逐个来到计票员所立的祭坛前。坛中置一容器，上覆一盘，票即投入其中，同时须朗声起誓，誓词是拉丁语的，英译为：I call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one before God I think should be elected.（奉请我的见证者主基督作审我的判官，我谨此声明：选票投给了神驾前的那个人，他乃我意中应当选者。）所有选票混在一起，开始唱票。每票唱完，都用钉穿过票面所印Eligo（“我选……”）处，钉在一根绳子上。全部唱完，将这根绳子两头扎起，置于他处。
四、最后是核计（post-scrutiny），凡有候选人得票超过三分之二，即视为当选。如果无人当选，则连日重复“预检”和“投票”两过程，上午两次，下午两次，直到选出教皇（这是前代教皇Benedict XVI在2007年修订后的规则）。2007年之前施行的旧规则是波兰籍教皇John Paul II在1996年制定的：如果连续12天预检、投票均告无果，则从第13天起，第一位赢得简单多数票的候选人即可当选。
五、选票都在累弯米开朗基罗之腰的西斯廷礼拜堂（the Sistine Chapel）一壁炉内焚烧销毁。如果焚票的黑烟从烟囱里冒出，即向在圣伯多禄大教堂（St. Peter’s Basilica）广场上等候的信众表明：本轮选票，未选出教皇。如果是白烟，则昭示天下：教皇已选出。冒烟很重要，能及时避免一些混乱纠纷，实在是这里面牵涉的利益太深太广。
六、教皇选出后，主持选举者会请示当选者的意见：您是否愿意担任教皇？如果愿意，再询问他希望以什么样的尊号出任教皇。最近三任分别是John Paul II（若望·保禄二世）、Benedict XVI（本笃十六世）、Francis I（方济各）。取什么尊号，和当选者对教内先贤的崇拜有直接关系。最激动人心的时刻，是选举团中最年长的红衣主教，首先走上大教堂的阳台，向世界宣布：Habemus Papam（我们又有教皇了）！新任教皇随后在这里做第一次公众讲话，祝福信众。该过程在著名电影《教父》（The Godfather）里有很细致的表现。
* 如有错漏，敬请指正。
参考文献：
(1) "How to elect a Pope: Assuming the papacy" <http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/making-waves-hawaii-perspective-washington-politic/2013/feb/11/pope-benedict-xvi-resigns/>
(2) "How to elect a Pope" <http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/8290842/How-to-elect-a-Pope>
(3) "The Minimum Age to be a Pope" by Anura Guruge
This is in response to a recent query.
The minimum age to be pope is probably 25, that being the minimum age to be a Catholic priest or deacon, but that needs to be qualified and justified.
Contrary to what some believe current Canon Law [i.e., the 1983 code] does not address this, or for that matter any other eligibility criteria as to who could be elected pope. Canon 349, under the chapter “The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church,” is in reality the only canon that even touches upon papal eligibility. It basically states that the cardinals of the Church make up a special [i.e., exclusive] college that has the prerogative to elect the pope — which, however, will be done per the ‘norm of special law’ [i.e., one that is not included in the canons].
Some Essential Background
By inference, as well as practice, the ‘special law’ that governs papal elections is specified by apostolic constitutions and papal edicts. John Paul II’s, February 22, 1996 apostolic constitution, Universi Dominici Gregis (the Lord’s whole flock), modified by Benedict XVI’sJune 11, 2007 Motu proprio (‘an edict’) that ratified the need for a two third majority for election at all times, constitute the current ‘standing orders’ for the next conclave — and hence the next election.
John Paul II’s constitution, though it states that the electors will be cardinals under the age of 80, does not, in anyway, address who should or could be considered for election. The last papal edict that addressed papal eligibility was Nicholas II’s In Nomine Domini papal bull of 1059. This stated that the electors (just the cardinal bishops at that juncture) should make their choice from within the Roman church [i.e., Roman cardinal priests and deacons] — but could chose from ‘another church’ if a suitable candidate could not be found from within the Roman church. This essentially reinforced a decree from a 769 Roman synod that mandated that only cardinal priests and cardinal deacons [i.e., clerics associated with the Roman churches] were eligible to be pope — albeit with the proviso that a cleric from outside Rome could be elected, if necessary.
Between 1059 and 1389, 11 of the 47 popes elected were not cardinals. Urban VI, a one time curialist in Avignon [France] and then an archbishop in Italy, elected in 1378 following a very disorderly conclave, has been the last non-cardinal to be pope.
Since November 2, 1389 all 63 of the popes elected, without exception, have been cardinals.The next pope will, indubitably, be chosen from among the cardinals — that serving as the baseline for my papabili list for 2009.
Age Limit for a Priest, Bishop or Cardinal
Canon 378, to do with ‘Bishops,’ states that one must be at least 35 years old to be considered as a bishop. The pope is most definitely the Bishop of Rome. So one could use this 35 year requirement as the minimum age to be a pope.
But then again we have canon 439 that was discussed at the start. The Bishop of Rome, i.e., the pope, is the only bishop that is chosen by cardinals, via a secret ballot, meeting in conclave — per a ‘special law.’ There is also Canon 377 that states that bishops are appointed, or their lawful elections are confirmed, by the pope. These factors could be interpreted to mean that the pope, though certainly the Bishop of Rome, is not subject to Canon 378.
So we are back to the Nicholas II’s 1059 bull and the inarguable fact that for the last 600 years, without fail, the cardinal electors have always elected one from within their ranks as pope.
Since 1917 canon law has required that only men that have been ordained at least to the order of a priesthood may be created a cardinal by the pope. Canon 1031 requires one to have reached 25 years in age in order to be ordained as a priest. So since 1917, one needed to be at least 25 in order to be created a cardinal (in marked contrast to Leo X, the second son of the famed Florentine Lorenzo ‘il Magnifico’ de’ Medici who was created a cardinal, at his father’s behest, at the age of 13, in March 1489 — albeit in pectore [i.e., undisclosed to the public]). Yes,in theory, the pope who has near infinite powers in such matters could probably make an exception if he really wanted to create a cardinal that was younger than 25. But this is improbable, at least in the current era.
Since an April 15, 1962 Motu proprio by John XXIII, it has also been a requirement that all cardinals be consecrated as bishops (if they are not already bishops) — unless an explicit waiver is granted by the pope (typically on the grounds of advanced age). This is now incorporated within canon 351, which in part states that those that are not yet bishops must receive episcopal consecration. [It does not state that they at that juncture need to meet the prerequisites stated for being a bishop. If there was that implication, one assumes it would have been alluded to at some point within the canons.] Plus there is the waiver — which has been used a number of times. So this means that one does not, at least in theory, have to meet the 35 year limit associated with being a bishop in order to be created a cardinal — if a pope so wishes.
Hence, why we are back to 25 again.
The Facts
The youngest cardinal at present is Hungary’s Peter Erdo — who was born on June 25, 1952 (57 years).
The next youngest, at 59, is the French Philippe Xavier Barbarin — #6 on my 2009 papabili list.
The youngest pope elected since 1400 was Leo X (the 13 year old cardinal), at the age of 37, in 1513.
The second youngest, since 1400, happens to be Leo X’s cousin Clement VII, one pope later, at the age of 45. [So there is a 8 year difference between the youngest and the second youngest.]
There have been four other popes, since 1400, who were elected prior to turning 50.
The average age of the 62 popes elected since 1400 is 62.39 years.
One of the youngest popes ever was probably John (‘Octavian’) XII, the illegitimate son of Alberic II who ruled Rome from 932 to 954. Alberic, on his deathbed, coerced influential Romans to promise that they would make sure his son, Octavian, would succeed him as the ruler of Rome and also be appointed the next pope. Octavian became John XII [his step-uncle having been John XI] in December 955 when Agapetus II died. John was supposed to have been around 18 years of age at that point. The infamous Benedict IX, who served an unprecedented three terms as pope, was also quite young when first elected in October 1032. He was the last layman to be elected pope. Though there are those that claim that he was but a teenager when elected in reality he was probably in his twenties.
John Paul II was 58 when elected. The 20th youngest pope since 1400. He was the youngest since June 1846 when Pius IX was elected at the age of 54.
The current pope, Benedict XVI, at 78 years and 3 days was the 5th oldest pope elected since 1400. One has to go back to 1689 to find a pope who was older than 78 at the time of election, that being Alexander VIII who was 79. This Alexander and Clement X, both in their 79th year, being the oldest to be elected — since 1400. Hope this answered the question.
Thank you.
何时选教皇
现任教皇退位（这很少发生，你我算是走运的：六百年来等一回，这一位是2013年退位的前代教皇Benedict XVI，上一位是1415年的Gregory XII）或去世，就要选出新教皇了。一般在教皇宝座出现空缺起的10到20天内，就要选出。
谁有资格当选教皇
理论上，凡是受过洗礼的男性天主教徒，都有资格当选。不过，要当基层神职人员的话，通常都得25岁起码。此外，由于教会法典规定，主教（bishop）必须至少35岁，而教皇即罗马主教，所以35岁勉强可视为担任教皇的最低年龄。为什么说是“勉强”呢？因为教会法典一方面规定所有主教必须由罗马教皇任命或确认其神职，一方面又规定罗马主教只能通过红衣主教团秘密集会，按特殊法则，投票选出。因此，罗马主教，也就是教皇，其实不受35岁这条最低年龄的限制。反正，历史经验告诉我们，35岁做教皇，就是做梦。
出现极端情况，实在无人合适，可以从天主教会以外的基督教会选——这是教皇Nicolas II在1059年规定的。但实际操作是1389年11月2日以来，64位当选者，无一不是红衣主教。（1378年，教皇Urban VI当选，他此前只是大主教（archbishop），而非红衣主教，当时选举状况非常混乱……）此前，1059到1389年，47位选出的教皇里，多达11人不是红衣主教。
而红衣主教最低的年龄要求是35岁——在当代，这也是可望不可及的，除非教皇对你青睐有加，力排众议（这种破格拔擢叫waiver，汉译“豁免晋牧”）。1400年以来，最年轻的教皇当数1513年登位的37岁的Leo X；第二年轻的是Clement VII，45岁，他是Leo X的亲戚……现代，截止2009年，最年轻的红衣主教是匈牙利的Peter Erdo，生于1952年。不知他仍保持纪录至今否。古代，这项纪录是意大利大名鼎鼎的美蒂奇（de' Medici）家族成员保持的，13岁就靠老爹的权势，被亲戚、教皇Innocent VIII任命为初级的红衣主教：枢机执事（cardinal deacon），且秘不发“喜”——此君，还是Leo X。另有一些人，他们在某年晋升为红衣主教，但在很多年后，才公诸于世，譬如名噪一时的上海教区主教龚品梅，于1979年被委任为枢机司铎（cardinal priest），但教皇将此事“默存心中”，到1991年才宣布。
谁有资格选举教皇
选举教皇的大任，降于俗称“红衣主教团”的枢机团（the Cardinal College）。根据《天主教法典》第350条，红衣主教团里，所有枢机分三级（order）：主教（episcopal）、司铎（presbyteral）、执事（diaconal）。所有，我们说的“红衣主教”一定是枢机，但不一定是枢机主教。红衣主教团也负责在教宗宝座空缺期间，处理教廷的日常紧要事务。
注意，并不是健在的所有红衣主教都有选举资格。1996年2月22日颁布的教廷宪法Universi Dominici Gregis（简称UDG，英文意思是the Lord’s whole flock，“主的全体子民”）规定，在现任教皇去世或退位当日，年满80周岁的红衣主教，无资格选举教皇——但有资格当选教皇。教会法律没有明确规定年龄上限。前任教皇Benedict XVI在2005年当选时，已78岁。比他当选年龄更大的是Alexander VIII，1689年当选时79岁。刚选出的Francis I是76岁。
选举教皇的流程
一、有权投票的红衣主教们汇聚梵蒂冈，形成一个选举团（conclave），每人均须发誓守秘。本次教皇选举，这个枢机选举团的最大人数是120。
二、首先是预检（pre-scrutiny）。从选举团中，选出若干选举干事（electoral administrative officer），然后分发选票。在投票祭坛前，若干计票员（scrutineer）将收集统计选票。另有医护员（infirmarer），他们负责收取（如有）生病者的投票。最后会由监票员（reviser）们检查每一张选票以及计票员写在选票上的附言。
三、投票（scrutiny）开始。按照资历，红衣主教们填完选票，逐个来到计票员所立的祭坛前。坛中置一容器，上覆一盘，票即投入其中，同时须朗声起誓，誓词是拉丁语的，英译为：I call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one before God I think should be elected.（奉请我的见证者主基督作审我的判官，我谨此声明：选票投给了神驾前的那个人，他乃我意中应当选者。）所有选票混在一起，开始唱票。每票唱完，都用钉穿过票面所印Eligo（“我选……”）处，钉在一根绳子上。全部唱完，将这根绳子两头扎起，置于他处。
四、最后是核计（post-scrutiny），凡有候选人得票超过三分之二，即视为当选。如果无人当选，则连日重复“预检”和“投票”两过程，上午两次，下午两次，直到选出教皇（这是前代教皇Benedict XVI在2007年修订后的规则）。2007年之前施行的旧规则是波兰籍教皇John Paul II在1996年制定的：如果连续12天预检、投票均告无果，则从第13天起，第一位赢得简单多数票的候选人即可当选。
五、选票都在累弯米开朗基罗之腰的西斯廷礼拜堂（the Sistine Chapel）一壁炉内焚烧销毁。如果焚票的黑烟从烟囱里冒出，即向在圣伯多禄大教堂（St. Peter’s Basilica）广场上等候的信众表明：本轮选票，未选出教皇。如果是白烟，则昭示天下：教皇已选出。冒烟很重要，能及时避免一些混乱纠纷，实在是这里面牵涉的利益太深太广。
六、教皇选出后，主持选举者会请示当选者的意见：您是否愿意担任教皇？如果愿意，再询问他希望以什么样的尊号出任教皇。最近三任分别是John Paul II（若望·保禄二世）、Benedict XVI（本笃十六世）、Francis I（方济各）。取什么尊号，和当选者对教内先贤的崇拜有直接关系。最激动人心的时刻，是选举团中最年长的红衣主教，首先走上大教堂的阳台，向世界宣布：Habemus Papam（我们又有教皇了）！新任教皇随后在这里做第一次公众讲话，祝福信众。该过程在著名电影《教父》（The Godfather）里有很细致的表现。
* 如有错漏，敬请指正。
参考文献：
(1) "How to elect a Pope: Assuming the papacy" <http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/making-waves-hawaii-perspective-washington-politic/2013/feb/11/pope-benedict-xvi-resigns/>
(2) "How to elect a Pope" <http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/8290842/How-to-elect-a-Pope>
(3) "The Minimum Age to be a Pope" by Anura Guruge
This is in response to a recent query.
The minimum age to be pope is probably 25, that being the minimum age to be a Catholic priest or deacon, but that needs to be qualified and justified.
Contrary to what some believe current Canon Law [i.e., the 1983 code] does not address this, or for that matter any other eligibility criteria as to who could be elected pope. Canon 349, under the chapter “The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church,” is in reality the only canon that even touches upon papal eligibility. It basically states that the cardinals of the Church make up a special [i.e., exclusive] college that has the prerogative to elect the pope — which, however, will be done per the ‘norm of special law’ [i.e., one that is not included in the canons].
Some Essential Background
By inference, as well as practice, the ‘special law’ that governs papal elections is specified by apostolic constitutions and papal edicts. John Paul II’s, February 22, 1996 apostolic constitution, Universi Dominici Gregis (the Lord’s whole flock), modified by Benedict XVI’sJune 11, 2007 Motu proprio (‘an edict’) that ratified the need for a two third majority for election at all times, constitute the current ‘standing orders’ for the next conclave — and hence the next election.
John Paul II’s constitution, though it states that the electors will be cardinals under the age of 80, does not, in anyway, address who should or could be considered for election. The last papal edict that addressed papal eligibility was Nicholas II’s In Nomine Domini papal bull of 1059. This stated that the electors (just the cardinal bishops at that juncture) should make their choice from within the Roman church [i.e., Roman cardinal priests and deacons] — but could chose from ‘another church’ if a suitable candidate could not be found from within the Roman church. This essentially reinforced a decree from a 769 Roman synod that mandated that only cardinal priests and cardinal deacons [i.e., clerics associated with the Roman churches] were eligible to be pope — albeit with the proviso that a cleric from outside Rome could be elected, if necessary.
Between 1059 and 1389, 11 of the 47 popes elected were not cardinals. Urban VI, a one time curialist in Avignon [France] and then an archbishop in Italy, elected in 1378 following a very disorderly conclave, has been the last non-cardinal to be pope.
Since November 2, 1389 all 63 of the popes elected, without exception, have been cardinals.The next pope will, indubitably, be chosen from among the cardinals — that serving as the baseline for my papabili list for 2009.
Age Limit for a Priest, Bishop or Cardinal
Canon 378, to do with ‘Bishops,’ states that one must be at least 35 years old to be considered as a bishop. The pope is most definitely the Bishop of Rome. So one could use this 35 year requirement as the minimum age to be a pope.
But then again we have canon 439 that was discussed at the start. The Bishop of Rome, i.e., the pope, is the only bishop that is chosen by cardinals, via a secret ballot, meeting in conclave — per a ‘special law.’ There is also Canon 377 that states that bishops are appointed, or their lawful elections are confirmed, by the pope. These factors could be interpreted to mean that the pope, though certainly the Bishop of Rome, is not subject to Canon 378.
So we are back to the Nicholas II’s 1059 bull and the inarguable fact that for the last 600 years, without fail, the cardinal electors have always elected one from within their ranks as pope.
Since 1917 canon law has required that only men that have been ordained at least to the order of a priesthood may be created a cardinal by the pope. Canon 1031 requires one to have reached 25 years in age in order to be ordained as a priest. So since 1917, one needed to be at least 25 in order to be created a cardinal (in marked contrast to Leo X, the second son of the famed Florentine Lorenzo ‘il Magnifico’ de’ Medici who was created a cardinal, at his father’s behest, at the age of 13, in March 1489 — albeit in pectore [i.e., undisclosed to the public]). Yes,in theory, the pope who has near infinite powers in such matters could probably make an exception if he really wanted to create a cardinal that was younger than 25. But this is improbable, at least in the current era.
Since an April 15, 1962 Motu proprio by John XXIII, it has also been a requirement that all cardinals be consecrated as bishops (if they are not already bishops) — unless an explicit waiver is granted by the pope (typically on the grounds of advanced age). This is now incorporated within canon 351, which in part states that those that are not yet bishops must receive episcopal consecration. [It does not state that they at that juncture need to meet the prerequisites stated for being a bishop. If there was that implication, one assumes it would have been alluded to at some point within the canons.] Plus there is the waiver — which has been used a number of times. So this means that one does not, at least in theory, have to meet the 35 year limit associated with being a bishop in order to be created a cardinal — if a pope so wishes.
Hence, why we are back to 25 again.
The Facts
The youngest cardinal at present is Hungary’s Peter Erdo — who was born on June 25, 1952 (57 years).
The next youngest, at 59, is the French Philippe Xavier Barbarin — #6 on my 2009 papabili list.
The youngest pope elected since 1400 was Leo X (the 13 year old cardinal), at the age of 37, in 1513.
The second youngest, since 1400, happens to be Leo X’s cousin Clement VII, one pope later, at the age of 45. [So there is a 8 year difference between the youngest and the second youngest.]
There have been four other popes, since 1400, who were elected prior to turning 50.
The average age of the 62 popes elected since 1400 is 62.39 years.
One of the youngest popes ever was probably John (‘Octavian’) XII, the illegitimate son of Alberic II who ruled Rome from 932 to 954. Alberic, on his deathbed, coerced influential Romans to promise that they would make sure his son, Octavian, would succeed him as the ruler of Rome and also be appointed the next pope. Octavian became John XII [his step-uncle having been John XI] in December 955 when Agapetus II died. John was supposed to have been around 18 years of age at that point. The infamous Benedict IX, who served an unprecedented three terms as pope, was also quite young when first elected in October 1032. He was the last layman to be elected pope. Though there are those that claim that he was but a teenager when elected in reality he was probably in his twenties.
John Paul II was 58 when elected. The 20th youngest pope since 1400. He was the youngest since June 1846 when Pius IX was elected at the age of 54.
The current pope, Benedict XVI, at 78 years and 3 days was the 5th oldest pope elected since 1400. One has to go back to 1689 to find a pope who was older than 78 at the time of election, that being Alexander VIII who was 79. This Alexander and Clement X, both in their 79th year, being the oldest to be elected — since 1400. Hope this answered the question.
Thank you.
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