The political and ritual life of early modern Rome provided its inhabitants ample opportunities not only to express grievances with papal government but also to voice expectations of newly elected pontiffs. Three ritual moments in particular—each linked as a cycle related to the pope’s reign—looked toward the future. These were the papal election, the possesso (the newly elected pontiff’s procession to San Giovanni in Laterano), and the pope’s death. As the papal election commenced in the conclave, Romans communicated their hopes for a pontiff who would adhere to a traditional moral economy by keeping the city abundantly supplied with grain and other foodstuffs. The ceremonies connected to the possesso reinforced these concerns; during the pope’s procession from Saint Peter’s to San Giovanni, the people greeted him with placards, statues, and ritual shouts, which reminded him to uphold this sacred duty. A pope who failed to abide by this moral economy faced popular discontent. This took the form of murmuring and pasquinades that wished for his imminent death, thus anticipating an end to his odious reign and to the future freedoms of the vacant see, a time in which the machinery of papal government and justice halted, allowing the people to vocalize their anger. Immediately on the heels of the pope’s death came the papal election, starting the cycle anew. This paper will argue that the rhythms of papal government enabled the people to articulate their expectations of papal rule, both present and future, grounded in traditional paternalism.

近代早期罗马的政治和生活仪式提供居民充足的机会，不仅表达对教皇政府也给新当选教宗的声音期待不满。尤其是三个仪式时刻，它们与教皇的统治相关联，是一个面向未来的仪式。这是罗马教皇选举中，possesso（新当选的教皇的游行圣乔凡尼），和教皇去世。当罗马教皇的选举在大都会开始时，罗马人传达了他们对一个教皇的希望，该教皇将通过保持城市充足的谷物和其他食品的供给来遵守传统的道德经济。与占有者有关的仪式加强了这些担忧；在教皇从圣彼得到圣乔瓦尼的游行期间，人们用标语牌，雕像和礼仪大声向他致意，这使他想起了这项神圣的职责。未能遵守这种道德经济的教皇面临着民众的不满。这表现为喃喃自语和哀悼，希望他快死了，从而预料到他可恶的统治和空缺者未来的自由将结束，在这个时期罗马教皇的政府和司法机制停止了，人民可以表达他们的愤怒。教皇死后不久，罗马教皇大选重新开始。本文将论证，教皇政府的节奏使人们能够阐明他们对教皇统治的期望，包括现在和未来，都基于传统的家长制。