Vatican City, Apr 1, 2005 / 22:00 pm
With the death of John Paul II, the Church enters a state known as “Sede Vacante,” the principle of “no innovar” is invoked and most of the Vatican offices of the Roman Curia become vacant until the election of the new Pontiff.
According to the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis issued by Pope John Paul II in 1996, the government of the Church is entrusted to the College of Cardinals solely for the dispatch of ordinary business and of matters which cannot be postponed , and for the preparation of everything necessary for the election of the new Pope.
Paragraph 1 states, “The College of Cardinals has no power or jurisdiction in matters which pertain to the Supreme Pontiff during his lifetime or in the exercise of his office, such matters are to be reserved completely and exclusively to the future Pope.”
While the See is vacant, there are two kinds of Congregations of the Cardinals: General Congregations, which include the whole College and are held before the beginning of the election, and Particular Congregations