SEDE VACANTE The phrase you’re referring to is “sede vacante” (Latin for “the se

SEDE VACANTE
The phrase you’re referring to is “sede vacante” (Latin for “the seat being vacant”), which refers to the period when the Papal See is without a pope. The associated theological or ideological position, especially post-Vatican II, is called “sedevacantism”.

Operational Breakdown:
– “Sede” = seat (refers to the Holy See, the papal throne).
– “Vacante” = being vacant.
– Sedevacantism = the belief that the current occupant of the papal office is not a valid pope due to heresy, particularly stemming from Vatican II reforms (e.g., ecumenism, religious liberty, collegiality).

From a Natural Law perspective:
– Sedevacantism is a claim of void authority due to breach of doctrinal reciprocity—i.e., that the Vatican II popes have defected from operational Catholicism and thus cannot lawfully occupy the seat.
– It’s an instance of juridical nullification grounded in claims of deviation from inherited institutional law (doctrinal apostasy = breach of institutional contract).