Stardate 20010809.1409 (On Screen): After the death of pope Gregory XI in 1378, the college of Cardinals met to select a successor, as was their custom. However, the Vatican was surrounded by an unruly crowd who demanded that an Italian be selected and wouldn't accept otherwise. They broke into the palace and made their demands, and then remained there drinking and and chanting. The Cardinals, frightened by this and fearing for life and limb, were forced into a quick selection and chose Bartolomeo Prignano to serve as
Urban VI. But he was not a wise choice and proceeded to alienate many governments and high church leaders. Later the cardinals, travelling away from Rome, met again and selected Robert of Geneva as pope to serve under the name
Clement VII. Urban VI held power in Rome while Clement VII established himself in Avignon. Europe divide about evenly in support between them. Thus began the "Western Schism". Robert comes down to us as the
"antipope". The result was war. Many thought that it presaged the end of the world as described in the biblical book of Revelations.
The succession of the Dalai Lama is in doubt. According to tradition, each time the Dalai Lama dies, he is reincarnated and reselected for the office. The remaining lamas then find the child in which he was reborn and that child becomes the next Dalai Lama. It is, of course, not revealed how they determine this fact. The current Dalai Lama is 66 and fled from Tibet in 1959 and has lived in exile in India ever since. He's still healthy and vigorous but he won't live forever. He has been a thorn in the side of China ever since going into exile, and China says that when he dies the Chinese will identify his successor. He has predicted that the successor will not be found amongst people living in Tibet, and will instead be found by the lamas living with him in India. I believe we're going to see a repeat of history, with two simultaneous Dalai Lamas. I hope it isn't as bloody as the last time. (discuss)
