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How did the Third Lateran Council change the rules for electing a pope?
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papacy
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.
The Third Lateran Council (1179) introduced significant reforms to the papal election process to address the turbulence and schisms that had previously plagued the selection of a new pope.12
The council implemented two primary changes to the electoral procedure:
- Universal Cardinal Suffrage: It established that all cardinalsânot just the cardinal bishopsâwere to serve as electors.2
- Two-Thirds Majority Requirement: It mandated that a candidate must receive a two-thirds majority of the votes from the College of Cardinals to be validly elected.12
These measures were intended to ensure a more stable and decisive election process, reducing the likelihood of disputed results and the subsequent emergence of antipopes.12